Ex-Lawmaker Sues President Tinubu and Ibas Over Rivers Emergency Rule

Farah Dagogo, a former member of the House of Representatives, has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu and Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers State, challenging the legality of the recently declared emergency rule in the state. The suit, brought before Justice Adamu Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, also names the Senate President, the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as co-defendants.

Dagogo’s legal action follows President Tinubu’s March 18 declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State, citing a prolonged political crisis. The president subsequently suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the entire state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. In their place, Tinubu appointed Ibas, a retired naval chief, to oversee the state as sole administrator.

Dagogo, through his counsel C. I. Enweluzo, filed an ex parte application last Tuesday requesting that court documents be served on the defendants through substituted means. Justice Mohammed granted the application, ordering that all court processes be sent via DHL courier to the last known addresses of the defendants.

The case has been adjourned to May 12 for hearing.