Rivers indigenes sue Tinubu, Ibas over August 30 LG election

Five Rivers State indigenes have filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.), seeking to stop the conduct of local government elections scheduled for August 30, 2025.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1144/2025 and dated August 11, was lodged before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Also joined as defendants in the court document made available to Pulse Nigeria are the Rivers State Government and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

The plaintiffs — Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo, and Comfort Agbom — argue that the prevailing state of emergency in Rivers makes the conduct of elections unlawful and unsafe.

Represented by their lawyer, Sunday Ezema, they are asking the court to determine whether elections can lawfully be held while the state remains under the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025.

Quoting the proclamation issued on March 18, the plaintiffs recalled that the President cited a “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” as well as “looming crises” that threatened governance, peace, and security.

According to them, “These emergency conditions have not abated or ceased, which is why the President has neither revoked nor suspended the state of emergency.”

They contend that voters cannot meaningfully participate in polls under such conditions and want the court to halt any elections during the subsistence of the proclamation.

Their reliefs include a declaration that the Rivers State Government, its electoral commission, and the Sole Administrator “cannot lawfully conduct local government council elections” during the emergency.

They are also seeking an order nullifying any polls held within the period. The plaintiffs warned that proceeding with the election on August 30 would render it “illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.”

This legal challenge comes after the previous local government elections conducted under suspended Governor Sim Fubara were set aside by the court over irregularities.

The court is yet to fix a date for hearing the matter.