“We Are Yet To Receive Official Process In Emergency Rule Suit” – AGF

The Federal Government and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF) are yet to be officially served with court papers in a landmark suit filed by 11 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governors are challenging the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the controversial declaration of a state of emergency in the state by President Bola Tinubu.

In a startling revelation on Friday, sources within the OAGF disclosed that they were only made aware of the lawsuit through media reports.

The office confirmed it had not received any formal notice from the Supreme Court about the case, which raises significant constitutional questions about the President’s actions.

“We are yet to receive any official process,” an OAGF official said. “Once we are properly served, we will respond as required by law.”

The governors, representing states like Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, and Delta, are seeking judicial clarification on whether the President has the constitutional power to suspend democratically elected state officials and appoint a sole administrator under the guise of emergency rule.

The suit, marked SC/CV/329/2025, has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, as it challenges the legality of the President’s sweeping measures in Rivers.

At the heart of the suit is a plea for the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the President’s removal of Governor Fubara and the appointment of Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as Sole Administrator.

The PDP governors argue that such actions are an attack on the principles of federalism and undermine the very foundation of democratic governance.

The suit also raises a critical question: did the President’s declaration of emergency rule and the suspension of Rivers’ House of Assembly violate the Constitution? The plaintiffs want the highest court in the land to weigh in on whether the President’s powers extend to interfering with state governance in this manner.

In the midst of the legal storm, Vice-Admiral Ibas has staunchly defended his appointment of administrators for Rivers’ 23 local government areas.

During a meeting with the newly appointed administrators in Port Harcourt, Ibas explained that his visits to local councils revealed the need for hands-on leadership to stabilize the state following the emergency declaration.

“I needed capable individuals to help me manage the state after the President’s emergency proclamation,” Ibas explained. “Your role is to ensure that governance is conducted with integrity, accountability, and a deep sense of service.”

Ibas outlined key priorities for the administrators, including environmental management, healthcare, education, and youth engagement.

He also made it clear that any form of abuse of office would not be tolerated, emphasizing that local government resources must be used strictly for their intended purposes.

As political turmoil deepens, the women of Rivers State have taken to the streets in a passionate protest against the imposition of emergency rule. Hundreds of women, united under the “Women Unite Prayer Group,” marched through Port Harcourt, demanding the reinstatement of Governor Fubara and the immediate reversal of the emergency measures.

Leading the charge, Dr. Nancy Nwankwo, one of the protest organizers, declared, “This is not governance; it is occupation. If the federal government is truly concerned about national security, why has it not declared emergency rule in states ravaged by terrorism, like Borno, Zamfara, or Kaduna?”

The women condemned what they termed a “politically motivated power grab,” accusing the federal government of undermining democracy and imposing a dual system of laws — one for Rivers and another for the rest of the country.

In a significant move of protest, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) announced the relocation of its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt to Enugu. The NBA cited “grave constitutional violations” in Rivers State as the primary reason for the move.

In a strongly worded statement, the NBA expressed its outrage at the appointment of a Sole Administrator, calling it an affront to the rule of law and the country’s democratic processes. “The military-style governance in Rivers undermines the very fabric of democratic institutions,” the NBA said. “We cannot, in good conscience, host our flagship event in a state where constitutional order is being blatantly disregarded.”

The NBA reaffirmed its commitment to upholding democracy and the rule of law, urging its members and the public to support the change of venue as a stand for justice and constitutional integrity.

As the legal battle intensifies and protests continue to grow, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court.