National Assembly Slams the Brakes on Governors' Supreme Court Lawsuit Challenging Rivers State Emergency Declaration
Legislative Body Petitions Highest Court to Reject Appeal by PDP Governors over Rivers State Crisis Decision
In an unexpected turn of events, our sources have uncovered that the National Assembly has made a bold move to intervene in the dispute surrounding the state of emergency declared in Rivers State, with a preliminary objection to dismiss the lawsuit initiated by eleven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The proposed dismissal comes with a twist – the National Assembly asserts that it is not the correct forum to handle this matter, and that the plaintiffs have failed to follow due process by not issuing the necessary three-month pre-action notice to the Clerk of the National Assembly, as mandated under Section 21 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, and not securing resolutions from their respective State Houses of Assembly.
As per the documents obtained by Punch on April 22, 2025, the National Assembly's objection contends that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit, and calls for the plaintiffs to be penalized with a whopping ₦1 billion fine for filing a "frivolous and speculative" case.
The lawsuit, originally filed by the PDP governors, targets President Bola Tinubu's powers to suspend a democratically elected state institution and replace it with an unelected one following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.
In their lawsuit, the governors challenge the President's authority to suspend a democratically-elected state government and replace it with an appointee. They seek several declarations, including that the President cannot interfere with the offices of governors and deputy governors without a two-thirds majority approval from the National Assembly.
However, in their objection, the National Assembly has argued that the President does indeed possess the power to take such action and that the National Assembly's approval through a voice vote is sufficient under section 305 of the 1999 Constitution. The objection also argued that the suit is speculative and an abuse of the court process.
If the Supreme Court accepts the National Assembly's preliminary objection, this would mark a significant blow to the PDP governors' lawsuit, casting doubt on the future of litigation regarding the state of emergency in Rivers State.
Stay tuned as we continue to monitor the developments in this rapidly evolving and contentious situation.
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- The unforeseen action by the National Assembly could potentially shift the dynamics of the ongoing dispute in Rivers State.
- The bold move by the National Assembly has ignited mixed emotions among the PDP governors who filed the lawsuit.
- The National Assembly's intervention in the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit is causing ripples in the political landscape of Nigeria.
- The preliminary objection by the National Assembly could significantly alter the course of the legal battle surrounding the state of emergency.
- If successful, the National Assembly's objection could dent the hopes of the PDP governors and their lawsuit.
- The National Assembly's assertion that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit has raised eyebrows within legal circles.
- The PDP governors' lawsuit against President Tinubu's powers may face a challenging road ahead with the National Assembly's preliminary objection.
- The ₦1 billion fine proposed by the National Assembly for the PDP governors is causing a stir in political and financial circles.
- The PDP governors' lawsuit targets the President's powers to suspend a democratically elected state institution.
- The need for the PDP governors to issue a three-month pre-action notice to the Clerk of the National Assembly, as mandated under Section 21 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, cannot be overlooked.
- The role of the National Assembly in political decision-making has once again come under scrutiny due to its intervention in the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit.
- The case of governmental respect for parliamentary summons takes on added significance in light of the National Assembly's position on the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit.
- The unexpected preliminary objection by the National Assembly adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing dispute in Rivers State.
- The APC's recent registration of PDP defectors in Delta could have repercussions for the political alignments in the state.
- The future of Fubara's return remains uncertain in the face of the ongoing political developments in Rivers State.
- The reasons behind the APC defections continue to be a topic of intense discussion within political circles.
- The National Assembly's stance on the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit could set a precedent in future legal battles regarding state of emergencies.
- The PDP governors' lawsuit could pave the way for future challenges to the President's powers in similar situations.
- The events surrounding the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit underscore the importance of due process in political decision-making.
- The National Assembly's objection could be a turning point in the ongoing power struggle between the executive and legislative branches.
- The impact of the National Assembly's intervention on the future of online education in Nigeria remains to be seen.
- The job-search market for fresh graduates may be affected by the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State.
- The crises in War-and-Conflicts across Nigeria could potentially divert the National Assembly's attention away from policy-and-legislation.
- The ongoing strike in the education-and-self-development sector could worsen if the National Assembly fails to address the issues at hand.
- The importance of personal-growth and mindfulness in navigating the ups and downs of career-development cannot be overstated.
- The National Assembly's intervention in the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit highlights the need for lifelong-learning and goal-setting in politics.
- The events surrounding the Rivers State emergency declaration lawsuit serve as a reminder of the role of skills-training and sports in fostering productivity.
- The ongoing developments in politics, crime-and-justice, and general-news have far-reaching implications for the future of Nigeria, affecting everything from job-search to learning, from weather to European-leagues, from sports-betting to horse-racing, from automotive-racing to tennis, from football to baseball, hockey, golf, basketball, basketball's NBA, American football, Soccer's UEFA Champions League and NFL, WNBA, weather-forecasting, and Mixed-Martial-Arts.
