tinubu and fubara 3.webp
The Digest:

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a legal challenge against President Bola Tinubu's six-month suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state's House of Assembly. The court ruled that the plaintiffs, a group of concerned indigenes, lacked the legal standing to file the case, effectively upholding the President's authority to declare the state of emergency that was in effect from March to September 2025.

Key Points:
  • The Federal High Court dismissed a suit challenging the legality of Governor Fubara's suspension.
  • President Tinubu had suspended Fubara and the State Assembly for six months, citing a state of emergency.
  • The court ruled the plaintiffs lacked the legal right (locus standi) to bring the case.
  • It stated they failed to prove they suffered a unique injury different from other Rivers indigenes.
  • The judgment also held that only the Supreme Court could ultimately determine the legality of such an emergency rule.
  • The court described the suit as "frivolous and baseless."
  • The suspension period elapsed on September 18, with Fubara having since resumed his duties.
This ruling reinforces the wide discretionary powers of the presidency in declaring states of emergency, while simultaneously setting a high bar for citizens seeking to legally challenge such executive actions.

Sources: Vanguard