Posted by An alleged unconstitutional agreement over the raging power struggle in the state has brought President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Attorney General Bola Tinubu, the legislature of Rivers State, the House Speaker, and the head of the electoral commission, INEC, were all named in the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1718/2023 include Emmanuel Deinma, Ann Kio Briggs, Rear Admiral O. P. Fingesi, Victor Jumbo, Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing the Bonny State Constituency.
The grievances of the wronged elders revolve around the purportedly illegal agreement that was forced on the governor in an effort to break the state’s political impasse.
They argue that the agreement signed on December 18 is unlawful and undermines the relevant articles of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, by usurping power and making such provisions null and void.
They want the court to decide, among other things, whether President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly can legally and constitutionally establish an agreement that would undermine the provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
They argued that the 27 lawmakers from Rivers State should be replaced through new elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and that neither President Tinubu nor Governor Fubara has the legal authority to prevent this.
Legislators allegedly switched parties, transferring allegiance from the PDP to the APC.
The lawsuit has not yet been scheduled for a hearing date.