ABUJA– A former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marshall Stanley-Uwom, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, praying it to stop the Federal Government from releasing allocations accruable to the Local Government Councils, LGCs, in the state, to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Rtd.

The plaintiff, who was a lawmaker while the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, held sway as governor of the state, urged the court to declare that under section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as the judgement of the Supreme Court, Ibas cannot legally appoint unelected officials as caretakers to run the affairs of the LGCs in Rivers.

Among the reliefs he is seeking from the court are: “An order that the State of Emergency in Rivers State issued and or proclaimed by the President has ceased to have effect.”

He is also seeking “an order compelling the 7th Defendant (Ibas) to immediately vacate the office of Sole Administrator of Rivers State and allow the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State to resume his office.”

Aside from President Bola Tinubu who was cited as the 1st defendant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/797/2025, equally listed as 2nd to 10th defendants in the matter, are: the National Assembly; the Senate; Senate President; House of Representatives; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Vice Admiral Ibas, Rtd; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Accountant General of the Federation; and the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

In the Originating Summons he filed through a team of lawyers led by Mr. Sylvester I. Evbuomwan, the plaintiff, who told the court that he is a Prince of the Agba Royal Family of Abua, and the Adibaal Abuan 1 of Abua, in Abua-Odual LGA of Rivers State, posed four legal questions for the court to determine:

“Whether by virtue of Section 305 (6) (b) of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) the Proclamation issued by the President has ceased to have effect in the absence of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the Proclamation.

“Whether by virtue of Section 7 (1) of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) and the Supreme Court decision in AG OF THE FEDERATION V. AG OF ABIA STATE & ORS (2024) LPELR-62576 (SC), the 7th Defendant can legally appoint unelected officials as caretaker to run the affairs of the Local Government Councils of Rivers State.

“Whether by virtue of Section 7 (1) of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) and the Electoral Act and the Supreme Court decision in AG OF THE FEDERATION V. AG OF ABIA STATE & ORS (2024) LPELR-62576 (SC), the 8th, 9th and 10th Defendants can legally release allocations accruable to the Local Government Councils of Rivers State from the Federation Account to the unelected officials appointed by the 7th Defendant as caretaker appointed to run the affairs of the Local Government Councils in Rivers State.”

Likewise, “Whether by virtue of Section 197 and 198 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) the 7th Defendant can legally remove from office the Chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) who were appointed and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and appoint a new Chairman and members for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).”


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/rivers-ex-dep-speaker-sues-tinubu-to-stop-sole-administrators-funding/