Rivers Elders Take Legal Action Against Tinubu Over Alleged Unconstitutional Dealings.
Six prominent elders from Rivers State, including Senator Bennett Birabi and Senator Andrew Uchendu, have filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu. The plaintiffs, led by Victor Jumbo, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, accuse President Tinubu of compelling Governor Siminilaya Fubara into an unconstitutional agreement.
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The alleged agreement, signed on December 18, is now at the center of a legal battle. The plaintiffs contend that it is not only illegal but also amounts to the usurpation, nullification, and undermining of the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
At the forefront of this legal action are key figures such as Rear Admiral O. P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma. They are vehement in their assertion that the agreement infringes on the constitutional framework, raising questions about its legitimacy.
The plaintiffs have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking a legal determination on whether President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly possess the rights and entitlement to enter into an agreement that could nullify or undermine the constitutional/legal potency of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
In their argument, the elders highlight that neither President Tinubu nor Governor Fubara holds the statutory powers to impede the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting fresh elections to replace the 27 Rivers State lawmakers. These lawmakers had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawsuit underscores the deep legal and constitutional implications of the alleged agreement, making it a matter of broader significance. The plaintiffs are seeking clarity on whether such agreements can override constitutional provisions and potentially impact the democratic process.
This legal battle is poised to have far-reaching consequences, and as it unfolds in the Federal High Court, it brings to the forefront a crucial examination of the intersection between political decisions, constitutional boundaries, and the integrity of democratic institutions.
