Federal High Court dismisses suit against President Tinubu over Rivers State emergency proclamation, calling it frivolous and baseless.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a lawsuit challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s March 18, 2025 proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing the case as frivolous and without merit.
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Justice James Omotosho, who presided over the matter, ruled that the plaintiffs—Belema Briggs and four others—lacked the legal authority to initiate the action. The judge emphasized that none of the claimants were members of the Rivers State Executive Council, the State House of Assembly, or held any position that gave them the right to sue on behalf of the people of Rivers State.
The court further held that only the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to entertain such a constitutional matter, stressing that the plaintiffs did not obtain the consent of the Rivers State Attorney General before filing the case.
Justice Omotosho noted that the plaintiffs failed to challenge President Tinubu’s justification that the emergency proclamation was necessary to avert a breakdown of law and order in the state. He added that the claim of a breach of fundamental rights was unfounded since the president acted within the constitutional framework for declaring emergency rule.
Declaring the suit “frivolous and baseless,” the court ruled that the plaintiffs attempted to act without the mandate of the people of Rivers State. As a result, the case was dismissed in its entirety.
