Obaro Timipriye
Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stock have filed a suit before the Supreme Court to question the six-month suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers House of Assembly members were suspended for six months by President Bola Tinubu after he declared a state of emergency in the state on March 18 and appointed a sole administrator for the state.
However, the Governors of Bauchi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Osun, Plateau, and Zamfara States challenged the powers of the president to suspend a sitting governor.
The appellants, who are seven in number, sought a declaration that the suspension of Governor Siminalaye Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly was unconstitutional, unlawful, and in gross violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
Meanwhile, 27 legislators of Rivers Assembly, on their part, supported the president’s decision to implement the suspension.
The governors argued that Tinubu lacks the statutory powers to suspend a serving governor and appoint a sole administrator in his stead.
They prayed the Supreme Court for the following relief, “An order nullifying the proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State made by the first defendant and wrongfully approved by the second defendant.
“An order restraining the defendant, by himself, his servants, agents, and privies, from implementing the unlawful suspension of the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State.
“An order restraining the defendant, by himself, his servants, agents, and privies, from interfering in any manner whatsoever with the execution by the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State of their constitutional and statutory duties, as well as their electoral mandate.
“An order restraining the defendant from attempting the suspension of any other governor of any state in Nigeria, particularly the plaintiffs, or from interfering with or undermining their constitutional and statutory duties.”
Recall that the suspension of Fubara, the deputy and even the criteria for declaring a State of Emergency in Rivers State has remained a subject of debate among Nigerians.