Tinubu Dragged to Court Over Alleged Unlawful Sack of Rivers Governor, Appointment of ‘Illegal’ Sole Administrator

In a dramatic legal showdown that could shake the foundations of Nigeria’s federal structure, a lawyer has dragged President Bola Tinubu to court for allegedly overstepping his constitutional authority by appointing a “Sole Administrator” to govern Rivers State — a move described as illegal, dictatorial, and a threat to democracy.

The suit, filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, challenges Tinubu’s controversial suspension of the elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State and the subsequent installation of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Sole Administrator — a title that does not even exist in the Nigerian Constitution, according to the plaintiff.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, now set to hear the case on April 10, has listed Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Ibas, and the Attorneys-General of all 36 states as defendants in what is shaping up to be a landmark constitutional test.

In his legal documents, Jideobi argues that the President has no authority to tamper with the tenure of elected state leaders, and warns that allowing such a precedent could “open the floodgates of anarchy” and turn governors into pawns at the mercy of Aso Rock.

He asked the court to nullify all actions taken by Ibas and order his immediate eviction from the Government House in Port Harcourt, insisting that the president’s decision was unconstitutional and dictatorial.

Critics say the case exposes creeping authoritarianism and raises fears of executive overreach. “What we are witnessing is nothing short of a constitutional crisis,” one legal expert noted. “The implications for Nigerian democracy are grave if this is allowed to stand.”

As tensions mount and Nigerians await the court’s decision, many are asking the same question: Has President Tinubu crossed a red line in Nigeria’s democratic governance?