Battle for Rivers: PDP Presents 11 SANs as Tinubu Defends Action

Battle for Rivers: PDP Presents 11 SANs as Tinubu Defends Action

Published: April 14, 2025
By Ricky Awodi

Tensions Mount Over Rivers Emergency Rule: Tinubu’s Legal Team Swings Into Action

The political drama in Rivers State is fast turning into a full-blown legal heavyweight battle at the Supreme Court.

As the controversy deepens over President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has wasted no time. He’s already hard at work, drafting the official Supreme Court response to defend the President’s decision.

This is coming hot on the heels of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors mobilising a formidable legal squad — no fewer than 11 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and an additional six experienced lawyers — ready to challenge the President and the National Assembly in what’s shaping up to be a historic courtroom clash.

PDP Governors Assemble Top Legal Eagles

In what looks like a strategic legal onslaught, the PDP governors aren’t pulling any punches. They’ve lined up some of Nigeria’s sharpest legal minds, including:

Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN)

Eyitayo Jegede (SAN)

Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN)

J.A Mumuni (SAN)

Musibau Adetunbi (SAN)

Samuel Atung (SAN)

Yunus Abdulsalam (SAN)

Supporting this heavyweight team are lawyers M.S. Atolagbe, Ezenwa Ibegbunam, Chiamaka Anagu, Olakunle Lawal, Abduljalil Musa, and H. A. Adeleke — forming a legal arsenal aimed squarely at challenging what they see as executive overreach.

The Crux of the Legal Battle: Can Tinubu Suspend a Governor?

At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental constitutional question:
Does the President of Nigeria have the power to suspend a duly elected governor and replace him with an unelected sole administrator, even during a state of emergency?

The suit, filed by 11 PDP-led states — Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa — challenges the legality of President Tinubu’s March 18, 2025, declaration.

The governors are asking the Supreme Court to interpret sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188, and 305 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, to determine if the President’s actions are constitutionally sound or an overstep of executive powers.

Inside Tinubu’s Emergency Move: The Controversial Appointment of Ibas

Following the emergency declaration, President Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all state lawmakers in Rivers State, citing escalating political tensions and security threats.

In an unprecedented move, Tinubu installed Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as the Sole Administrator to manage the state’s affairs.

Both chambers of the National Assembly quickly backed the President through a voice vote, lending legislative support to the controversial decision. However, this has done little to silence critics or calm the growing storm of legal and political challenges.

PDP Cries Foul, Tompolo Weighs In

Adding fuel to the fire, the PDP has openly criticised President Tinubu’s action, branding it a “brazen assault on democracy.” Interestingly, Niger Delta ex-militant leader Tompolo has hinted at the possible reinstatement of Governor Fubara, further heating up the debate in political circles.

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What Lies Ahead: Supreme Court Decision Could Reshape Nigeria’s Democracy

As both sides gear up for a legal battle of epic proportions, the nation watches with bated breath.

Will the Supreme Court side with the President’s interpretation of emergency powers? Or will the PDP governors succeed in defending the sanctity of elected officeholders? Either way, this case is poised to become a landmark moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Stay with Parrot Newspaper — News That Talks to You — for all the latest updates on this unfolding saga!