Former National and State Assembly member in Rivers State, Dr. Farah Dagogo, has dragged President Bola Tinubu; the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; and others to the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, over the suspension of both Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State Assembly members.
In the case with Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/50/2025, filed on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, Farah Dagogo, who was a governorship aspirant in the 2023 elections, is seeking reliefs connected to actions bordering on the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the consequent suspension of the state governor and members of the State House of Assembly.
In the motion ex parte filed on April 8, 2025, the plaintiff’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), C. I. Enweluzo, requested the court to grant permission for substituted service of the originating summons and other related court processes. This was necessitated by difficulties in serving the defendants personally.
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Honourable Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed, after reviewing the affidavit sworn to by Solomon Ayotamuno, a litigation assistant at Liberty Chambers, and hearing arguments from the plaintiff’s counsel—including Femi Adegbite Esq., Monday Dayi Esq., Daso Jack, and D. Bakweri Esq.—granted the application and further directed that a hearing notice be issued, with the case adjourned to May 12, 2025, for substantive hearing.
The court also ordered that all relevant court documents be served on the defendants through DHL courier service to their last known addresses. The affected addresses include:
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja, The Senate President and the Senate of the Federal Republic at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, The Speaker of the House of Representatives at the same Assembly Complex, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) at the Rivers State Government House, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
President Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, proclaimed a state of emergency in Rivers State with an initial six-month suspension of democratic governance.
He further appointed an administrator to govern the state. The two arms of the National Assembly soon ratified the President’s action under rather controversial circumstances.
and then