Rivers State Leaders Drag President Tinubu To Federal High Court Over Alleged Unconstitutional Agreement

In a legal move with potential political ramifications, six leaders from Rivers State have filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The plaintiffs, including Victor Jumbo, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O. P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma, allege that President Tinubu compelled Governor Siminilaya Fubara to enter into what they describe as an unconstitutional agreement.

The contentious agreement, signed on December 18, is accused of being illegal and deemed an usurpation, nullification, and undermining of the existing provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The plaintiffs have approached the court, seeking a determination on whether President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly have the rights and entitlement to enter into any agreement that could nullify or undermine the constitution and provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The crux of their argument is that neither President Tinubu nor Governor Fubara possesses the statutory powers to obstruct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting fresh elections to replace the 27 Rivers State lawmakers.

The rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike resulted in a split within the state house of assembly, with 27 members defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In response, the Edison Ehie group declared the seats of the 27 members vacant.

President Tinubu intervened in the political tussle on Monday, holding a meeting with Governor Fubara and Wike at the Aso Villa in Abuja. Following the meeting, the President directed the warring parties to withdraw all legal matters initiated in the courts by Governor Fubara and his team. Additionally, President Tinubu endorsed the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly over that of Edison Ehie. The legal proceedings initiated by the six leaders from Rivers State now add a new layer of complexity to the ongoing political dispute.