Supreme Court Reserves Judgment in PDP Governors’ Case on Rivers Emergency Rule

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment in a suit filed by several governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

A seven-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice John Inyang Okoro, adjourned proceedings on Tuesday after all parties adopted their briefs of argument.

The plaintiffs in the case are the Attorneys General of ten PDP-controlled states, while the defendants are the Federal Government and the National Assembly.

At the start of the hearing, Delta State, listed as the fifth plaintiff, withdrew from the case—a move that was not opposed by counsel for the Federal Government, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

Leading the plaintiffs’ team, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, clarified that the suit was not intended to dispute the President’s authority to declare a state of emergency but to question the extent to which such a proclamation could impact the offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the State House of Assembly.

Responding, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, argued that there was no immediate threat necessitating the proclamation and that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate otherwise. He contended that the crisis in Rivers State between the governor and the executive arm justified the President’s intervention.

Fagbemi further maintained that the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State Assembly were not removed but temporarily suspended as part of necessary emergency measures to restore order. He insisted that the President acted within his constitutional duty and urged the court to dismiss the case entirely.

Counsel for the National Assembly, Charles Yoila, supported the AGF’s position and also called for the dismissal of the suit.

After hearing arguments from all sides, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment to a date that will be communicated to the parties.