Th Rivers State High Court has dismissed a lawsuit aimed at nullifying the August 30, 2025 local government elections held in the state.
The suit, filed by Williams Abayomi, a lawyer based in Port Harcourt, contested the legitimacy of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), the state’s appointed Administrator and his role in nominating the chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), which oversaw the election.
Among the defendants listed in the suit were President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Rivers State Administrator, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and RSIEC.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Stephen Jumbo struck out the suit on two main grounds; Lack of Locus Standi and Lack of Jurisdiction
The court ruled that the claimant failed to demonstrate how he was personally affected by the conduct of the election.
The judge noted that the grievance appeared to center on interests that belonged to the state governor, not the claimant himself.
Justice Jumbo further held that the court lacked the legal authority to hear the case. Citing Section 1(1) of the Emergency Powers Act of 1961, he stated that issues arising from emergency rule appointments and governance fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
The judge also stated that the August 30 election was lawful and constitutionally valid, having been carried out by a duly constituted electoral body.
Following the verdict, the claimant’s lawyer, Godsent Elewa, told reporters that his client plans to appeal the decision.
He argued that the judge’s comments on the legitimacy of the election were extraneous to the core legal issues raised.
In contrast, Monday Otokwala, counsel for the PDP, welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a sound judgment grounded in law.
