Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled April 10 to hear a lawsuit challenging President Bola Tinubu’s controversial decision to suspend the elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, replacing them with a Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd).
The suit, filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, has sparked national attention, questioning the constitutional legality of Tinubu’s move. The President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas, and Attorneys-General of all 36 states are listed as defendants in the case.
According to the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, Jideobi is urging the court to void all actions taken by Ibas in his capacity as Sole Administrator, arguing that the title doesn’t exist in the Nigerian Constitution.
“The suspension of an elected governor by the President is unconstitutional and dangerously sets a precedent that threatens Nigeria’s federal structure,” Jideobi said in a supporting affidavit.
The plaintiff seeks a perpetual injunction stopping the President or his agents from removing or tampering with the tenures of any sitting governor or deputy across Nigeria. He further requests that Ibas be ordered to vacate Rivers Government House immediately.
The legal challenge hinges on multiple sections of the Nigerian Constitution — particularly Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305, and 306 — which define the limits of executive power and procedures for removing elected state leaders.
“This isn’t just about Rivers,” Jideobi emphasized, “It’s about protecting democracy and stopping a dangerous overreach before it becomes the norm.”
As political tension simmers in Rivers State, all eyes now turn to Justice James Omotosho, who will preside over the case next week — a ruling that may define the limits of presidential power in Nigeria’s democracy moving forward.
