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A former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marshall Stanley-Uwom, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to restrain the Federal Government from releasing funds designated for Local Government Councils in Rivers State to the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd).
In the suit, Stanley-Uwom argues that under Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and a recent Supreme Court ruling, the appointment of unelected caretaker officials by Ibas is unconstitutional and therefore invalid.
Among his requests, the former lawmaker is asking the court to declare that the purported state of emergency in Rivers State, allegedly declared by President Bola Tinubu, is no longer in effect. He is also seeking an order for Ibas to vacate office and for the elected governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to resume his duties.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/797/2025, lists President Tinubu as the first defendant. Other defendants include the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Vice Admiral Ibas, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
Represented by Mr. Sylvester I. Evbuomwan, Stanley-Uwom presented four constitutional questions, including whether the president’s emergency proclamation is valid without two-thirds approval from the National Assembly, and whether funds from the Federation Account can be lawfully disbursed to caretaker appointees.
In a supporting affidavit, Stanley-Uwom identified himself as a key political stakeholder in Rivers State, citing his service as Deputy Speaker from 2015 to 2019. He alleged that the state of emergency was not properly ratified by the National Assembly, claiming it was approved via a voice vote instead of the constitutionally required two-thirds majority.
He further alleged that upon assuming office on March 19, 2025, Ibas dissolved all elected local government structures, replacing them with caretaker committees, and removed the chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) without due process.
The affidavit also claims that the 8th to 10th defendants have continued to release both state and local government funds to Ibas and his appointees despite the absence of legislative appropriation—actions Stanley-Uwom argues are unconstitutional and in violation of the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in AG Federation v. AG Abia State & Ors, which reaffirmed the autonomy of local governments.
Stanley-Uwom concluded that granting his reliefs would uphold justice. As of the time of filing this report, a hearing date has not been scheduled.
