A former House of Representatives member, Hon. Farah Dagogo, has challenged the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of key elected officials.
Dagogo, a former governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, is seeking judicial redress over what he terms an unconstitutional move that led to the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The suit at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, marked FHC/PH/CS/50/2025 and filed on April 9, 2025, lists President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Nigerian Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, as defendants.
At the hearing of a motion ex parte, Dagogo’s lead counsel, C. I. Enweluzo, SAN, informed the court of the difficulty in personally serving the defendants with the originating summons and other processes. He sought leave for substituted service.
Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed granted the application after considering the affidavit of Solomon Ayotamuno, a litigation assistant at Liberty Chambers, and hearing submissions from other members of the legal team — Femi Adegbite, Monday Dayi, Daso Jack, and D. Bakweri.
The court directed that all relevant documents be served on the defendants via DHL courier to their last known addresses, including the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the National Assembly Complex, and the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt.
The court has fixed May 12, 2025, for the substantive hearing of the suit.
President Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, effectively suspending democratic governance in the oil-rich state for an initial six-month period.
The president’s proclamation also resulted in the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the State Assembly. In their place, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibas as sole administrator.