The Supreme Court on Tuesday, reserved judgment in a suit challenging the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
A seven-man panel of Supreme Court judges led by Justice Inyang Okoro, took the decision after parties in the suit made their final presentations.
The date of ruling on the matter will be communicated to the parties involved by the apex court.
Naija News understands that the plaintiffs in the matter are the Attorneys General of 10 states, while the defendants are the Federal Government and the National Assembly.
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During Tuesday’s proceedings, the fifth plaintiff, Delta State, decided to withdraw from the lawsuit. This decision was not contested by the counsel representing the federal government, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Fagbemi argued that the declaration by President Tinubu followed constitutional provisions and was done to curb the political crisis which had engulfed Rivers State.
He added that the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and members of the State House of Assembly were not removed but suspended, as part of extraordinary measures required to bring decorum in the state.
He, therefore, urged the apex court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
In his submisison, the legal representative for the plaintiffs, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) emphasized that their case does not dispute the President’s authority to declare a state of emergency.
He told the court that instead, the suit questions the scope of this declaration, particularly concerning its impact on the positions of the governor, deputy governor, and the State House of Assembly.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu had in March 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the political crisis which enveloped the state as a result of the disagreement between Governor Fubara and his predecessor in office, Nyesom Wike.
The declaration expired in September, leading to the restoration of full democratic processes in the oil-rich state.
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