APC Chieftain Vows To File Lawsuit Against Tinubu, AGF, Sole Administrator If Fubara Is Not Returned As Rivers Governor

A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has called for the immediate and unconditional restoration of democratic structures in the state following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency.

Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the now-defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), expressed his dissatisfaction with the president’s actions, stating that they were a direct affront to the Nigerian Constitution and a display of authoritarianism.

Naija News reports that Eze condemned President Tinubu’s decision to suspend Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly.

He described the action as “premeditated, highly condemnable, unconstitutional, reprehensible, and undemocratic,” arguing that it was driven by political motivations in the ongoing conflict between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The APC chieftain stated in a statement made available to reporters on Monday, “The unwarranted, biased, and unjust suspension of the Governor, his Deputy, and the legislative arm of the government of Rivers State by Mr. President lucidly runs ultra vires his constitutional powers and reveals his biased leaning in the lingering animosity between the major gladiators.”

Eze demanded that President Tinubu reverse his decision, pointing out that Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the president the power to suspend an elected governor or any state official in the event of an emergency.

He stressed that the correct constitutional procedure for removing a governor or deputy governor is outlined in Section 188, which specifies the grounds for removal via impeachment.

“The unpatriotic and myopic action of the President smacks of authoritarianism and paints him [Tinubu] as a self-styled despot,” Eze stated, further accusing the president of undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions to secure political advantage in the upcoming 2027 elections.

Eze also criticized Tinubu for his handling of the political crisis in Rivers, pointing to the lack of reference to Nyesom Wike in the president’s March 18, 2025, broadcast. According to Eze, the absence of any mention of Wike’s role revealed the president’s partiality in the matter.

“The March 18, 2025, nationwide broadcast clearly showed a President who only heaped blame on a Governor because he refused to be Wike’s puppet any longer,” Eze remarked, accusing Tinubu and the APC leadership of orchestrating the crisis to further their political agenda.

Legal Action Threatened If Action Not Reversed

Chief Eze vowed to pursue legal action against President Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Administrator of Rivers State if the suspension of Governor Fubara is not reversed within seven days.

He emphasized that by suspending Fubara and his government, President Tinubu was not only violating the Constitution but also denying the people of Rivers State their right to democratically elect their leaders.

“How do President Tinubu, the hierarchy of the APC, the leadership of the National Assembly, and Wike feel knowing that not even the name of the FCT Minister (Wike) was mentioned in the President’s broadcast?” Eze questioned.

Eze concluded by stating that the political fallout following Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency had exposed the president as a biased and insincere leader.

“The episode leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State only exposed Tinubu as a partial and biased arbiter who cannot be taken as a sincere and honest President,” he asserted.