A former member of the House of Representatives, Farah Dagogo, has dragged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio to court over the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In the case with Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/50/2025 before Honourable Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, the plaintiff, Dagogo who was a governorship aspirant in the 2023 elections challenged the legality of the State of Emergency declared in Rivers State.
President Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, proclaimed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending democratic governance for an initial period of six months and appointing an administrator to govern the State.
Dagogo approached the court seeking reliefs over the declaration of the state of emergency and the consequent suspension of the State Governor and members of the State House of Assembly.
Apart from Tinubu and Akpabio, other defendants in the suit include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.), the recently installed sole administrator of Rivers State.
The court has fixed May 12, 2025, for the substantive hearing of the suit and granted an order for substituted service to address difficulties in serving the defendants personally.
In a motion ex parte filed on April 8, 2025, the plaintiff’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), C. I. Enweluzo, prayed the court to permit substituted service of the originating summons and other related court processes.
Justice Mohammed, after reviewing the affidavit sworn to by Solomon Ayotamuno, a litigation assistant at Liberty Chambers, and hearing arguments from the plaintiff’s counsel including Femi Adegbite Esq., Monday Dayi Esq., Daso Jack, and D. Bakweri Esq. granted the application.
The judge also ordered that a hearing notice be issued and that all relevant court documents be served on the defendants through DHL courier service to their last known addresses including those of the President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Administrator of Rivers State.
