Six leaders from Rivers State have sued President Bola Tinubu at the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleging that he forced Governor Siminilaya Fubara to sign an unconstitutional agreement on December 18.
The plaintiffs, led by Victor Jumbo, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, included Senators Bennett Birabi and Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O P Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma.
They argued that the agreement was illegal and undermined the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether or not Tinubu, Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly have the right to enter into any agreement that nullifies or undermines the constitution and provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
They contend that neither the President nor the Governor has the statutory powers to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting fresh elections to replace the 27 Rivers State lawmakers.
The crisis between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike split the state house of assembly into two, with 27 of them decamping from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
It led the Edison Ehie group to declare the seats of the 27 members vacant.
However, President Tinubu met with Fubara and Wike at the Aso Villa in Abuja on Monday.
After the meeting, the President directed that the warring parties withdraw all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara and his team and that the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly be recognized, not that of Edison Ehie.
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