The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a case filed against President Bola Tinubu over the emergency rule he declared in Rivers State earlier this year.
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The suit was brought by Belema Briggs and four others who challenged the decision of the president to impose emergency rule on March 18, 2025. The declaration had suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
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During the period, a sole administrator was appointed to manage the affairs of the state.The plaintiffs, dissatisfied with the president’s action, went to court, but Justice James Omotosho ruled that they lacked the authority to bring the matter forward.
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The judge noted that the claim that Tinubu acted to prevent a breakdown of law and order was not opposed by the complainants.Justice Omotosho further explained that the president had acted within the law, as the rules guiding emergency declarations allowed such steps to be taken in order to safeguard the state.
He added that the applicants did not show they had suffered any injury beyond what ordinary citizens of Rivers State experienced, nor did they have the approval of the state’s Attorney General to file the case on behalf of the people.
The court therefore described the case as lacking merit and dismissed it.It will be recalled that President Tinubu officially lifted the emergency rule on September 18, 2025, after more than 40 legal actions had been filed challenging his earlier decision, including one by the Peoples Democratic Party before the Supreme Court.
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