Former senator and candidate for governor of Rivers State in 2023, Dr. Farah Dagogo, has called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to suspend the state’s elected authorities a “democratic travesty” and a flagrant violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking through his attorney at a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, Dagogo denounced the President’s March 18, 2025 action, which involved the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of all 32 members of the State House of Assembly, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu. The action, he maintained, was illegal and unconstitutional.
The state’s elected leadership was essentially overthrown for the first six months of the contentious suspension, which was later upheld by the Senate and House of Representatives. The appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Administrator of Rivers State by President Tinubu in their stead has drawn criticism from civil society organizations and legal experts.
Only the first and fifth respondents were represented in the court session on Wednesday; they were Abduljabar Aliyu and Prof. Kanyinsola Ajayi, SAN, respectively.
A pattern of absence in the lawsuit was maintained when the third and fourth respondents—the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Nigerian Senate—failed to show up in court once more.
Judge James Omotosho, who oversaw the case, responded to rumors on social media that the judiciary had been infiltrated.
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He reassured the people that the court is still dedicated to making decisions only on the basis of the law and the constitution.
Additionally, he mandated that the absent respondents receive new hearing notifications so they can attend the upcoming court session.
Since the court’s yearly vacation has begun, the case has been postponed until October 7, 2025.
In an interview with reporters following the meeting, Barrister Babafemi Adegbite, a member of Dagogo’s legal team, emphasized the constitutional importance of the issue and reaffirmed their resolve to seek justice in court.
Adegbite said, “This case was originally filed in Port Harcourt but was later moved to Abuja due to circumstances we intend to address at the appropriate time.”
Our primary concern is still the constitutional infraction at the center of this case. We’re determined to get a ruling that supports democracy and the rule of law.
“By suspending an elected government and appointing an unelected administrator, the President went beyond his constitutional authority,” Adegbite claimed. Instead of serving as a safeguard, the National Assembly supported the action, undermining the democratic foundation. Not only for our client, but also for Nigeria’s constitutional democracy’s future, we are committed to seeing this through to completion.
