President Bola Tinubu and Siminalayi Fubara

Eleven governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a suit at the Supreme Court challenging President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

In the suit marked SC/CV/329/2025, the governors are questioning the legality of suspending the duly elected governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly. They argue that the president acted beyond his constitutional powers.

President Tinubu had on March 18 declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers, replacing the elected leadership with a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd). The National Assembly backed the move, but PDP governors have now asked the apex court to interpret whether such actions are lawful under sections 1, 4, 5, 11, 176, 180, 188, and 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

The plaintiffs include the state governments of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Zamfara.

Despite earlier media reports, the suit was only formally filed on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information, Dr Festus Akande.

Officials at the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed they’ve not yet been served with court papers but said preparations are underway for a legal response.

The outcome of the suit could have significant implications for federalism and the balance of power between the presidency and state governments.