The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 18, 2025, to deliver a ruling on a critical motion aimed at stopping the National Assembly (NASS) from approving the 2025 budget or any appointments related to the Rivers State Government under its current leadership.
The legal action follows the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) as Sole Administrator by President Bola Tinubu, after the controversial six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. This decision has sparked political tension and legal backlash.
Justice James Omotosho scheduled the ruling after listening to both Ambrose Owuru, who represented the plaintiffs, and Mohammed Galadima, counsel for the defendants.
The suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1190/2025, was filed by several prominent Rivers indigenes and the Registered Trustees of Hope Africa Foundation. They claim that the National Assembly used an unconstitutional voice vote to approve a state of emergency in Rivers and proceed with budgetary processes.
In their motion for an interlocutory injunction, the plaintiffs demanded the court restrain NASS from any further involvement in the state’s legislative and financial matters until the main suit is decided. They argue that the voice vote used to endorse the emergency rule lacks legal standing and undermines democratic governance.
According to the plaintiffs, since the suit was filed on June 19, the National Assembly has continued to approve “illegal appointments and budgets” for Rivers State. They insist that the emergency administration lacks legitimacy and violates their right to be governed by an elected official.
The defence, however, argues otherwise. Representing the National Assembly and its Clerk, Galadima labelled the plaintiffs’ claims as “contrived falsehoods” and stated that all legislative actions were constitutional. He warned that approving the motion would lead to “pandemonium and confusion” in the governance of the state.
The court’s decision on July 18 could shape the future of Rivers’ governance and test the boundaries of executive power and legislative procedure in a democratic Nigeria.
Notably, the Senate had already passed the state’s ₦1.485 trillion budget on June 25 during a third reading, further intensifying the controversy.
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