Gov Fubara Bows to Supreme Court Ruling, Orders Rivers LG Chairmen to Handover

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has directed all 23 Local Government Chairmen in the state to immediately relinquish their positions to the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs). The directive, announced in a statewide broadcast on Sunday, March 2, 2025, follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified their elections and barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing local government allocations to the state.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision on Friday, dismissed the elected chairmen, ruling that their election did not comply with legal requirements. The five-member panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji upheld an appeal from the All Progressives Congress (APC), overturning the November 21, 2024, judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which had validated their elections.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur emphasized that there was insufficient evidence proving that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) met the conditions set in Section 150(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 before conducting the elections. The apex court reinstated an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the voters’ register to RSIEC for the election.

Following the ruling, Governor Fubara, in his broadcast, ordered all the affected chairmen to hand over to the HLGAs on Monday, March 3, 2025, pending fresh elections to be organized by RSIEC. He also appealed for calm, urging the people of Rivers State to respect the Supreme Court’s decision, even if they disagreed with it.

Governor Fubara’s directive comes amid a broader legal battle that has reshaped the political landscape of Rivers State. The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, declaring his faction the legitimate and legally constituted legislature of the state.

In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the court ruled that Governor Fubara acted unlawfully by attempting to dismantle the state assembly, purportedly to prevent his impeachment. It condemned his actions and nullified the budget he presented before a four-man assembly, insisting that the 2024 Appropriation Bill must be re-presented before a fully constituted House under Speaker Amaewhule.

The apex court also restrained the CBN and the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing funds to Rivers State until the government complies with its ruling. Additionally, it dismissed Governor Fubara’s cross-appeal challenging the validity of the Amaewhule-led Assembly and ordered all 28 lawmakers to resume legislative activities without interference.

The Supreme Court further described Fubara’s actions regarding the alleged defection of 28 lawmakers as "brigandage and dictatorship," stating that he attempted to prevent the House from performing its constitutional duties. It also imposed a N5 million cost on the governor and the Rivers State government, payable to the House of Assembly and Speaker Amaewhule.

With this latest directive from Governor Fubara, political tensions in Rivers State remain high, as the state awaits fresh local government elections and the resolution of its legislative crisis.