President Bola Tinubu has been sued at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt over the Rivers State local government elections conducted on August 30, 2025.
In the suit (No. FHC/PH/CS/173/2025) filed on September 11, lawyer Clifford Nnanta Chuku is asking the court to nullify the polls and strike down the Emergency Powers Regulation introduced by Tinubu to guide the exercise.
Chuku argued that the regulation, which temporarily suspended provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and Rivers State electoral laws, breached the constitution and undermined democratic processes.
According to him, the President’s action amounted to an overreach of executive powers and unlawfully restricted the rights of Rivers people to free and fair elections.
The suit lists Tinubu, the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) as defendants.
The court is expected to determine two major questions: whether the regulation unlawfully limited democratic rights, and whether RSIEC’s election notice complied with statutory timelines.
Chuku is seeking orders voiding the August 30 elections and compelling RSIEC to organize fresh polls strictly in line with the Electoral Act.
The matter has been scheduled for hearing on October 21, 2025.
Legal analysts note that the outcome could have far-reaching implications for the scope of presidential powers in electoral matters.
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