By: Joy Musa
In a landmark ruling that has sent ripples across Nigeria’s political landscape, the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ruled in favor of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ordering the immediate removal of the Sole Administrator appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House.
The court’s decision, delivered on Tuesday morning, gives the Tinubu-backed appointee 48 hours to vacate the premises, reaffirming Governor Fubara’s constitutional mandate as the duly elected leader of Rivers State.
The ruling follows months of escalating political tensions between Governor Fubara and his estranged political godfather, former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The crisis intensified after the controversial appointment of a Sole Administrator by President Tinubu, which many legal experts and political observers deemed unconstitutional and a breach of democratic norms.
Justice Boma Diepriye, who presided over the case, ruled that the appointment of a Sole Administrator to oversee the affairs of a state with a sitting, democratically elected governor is “illegal, null, and void.” The court emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution provides no room for such an appointment in a federating unit where a governor has neither been impeached nor incapacitated.
In his reaction to the judgment, Governor Fubara hailed the ruling as a “victory for democracy and the rule of law.” Speaking to a jubilant crowd of supporters outside the courthouse, he said, “The will of the people has once again triumphed over political manipulation and executive overreach. I remain committed to serving the good people of Rivers State without fear or favor.”
Meanwhile, legal representatives of the federal government are expected to file an appeal in the coming days, signaling that the political standoff may not be over yet.
Political analysts are calling the judgment a significant blow to the influence of Nyesom Wike, who has been accused by critics of using federal might to undermine his successor.
This decision not only reaffirms Sim Fubara’s legitimacy but also sets a precedent in curbing excessive interference by the federal government in state matters.
As Rivers State awaits the departure of the embattled Sole Administrator, attention now turns to how this ruling will reshape the power dynamics in both the state and national political arenas.