Delta State Withdraws from Suit Against Tinubu's Emergency Rule in Rivers

Delta State has pulled out of the legal challenge against President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. The state had previously joined a coalition of 11 governors from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in filing the suit before the Supreme Court.

This move comes just 12 days after Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the entire PDP leadership in the state defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and publicly pledged their support for President Tinubu.

Delta State was one of the original plaintiffs in the suit, which sought to address constitutional questions about the president’s power to suspend elected governors and appoint unelected officials under the guise of a state of emergency. Other states involved in the legal battle include Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa.

The plaintiffs wanted the Supreme Court to determine whether the president has the constitutional authority to intervene in state governance in such a manner. However, with Delta State’s withdrawal, the plaintiffs’ ranks have thinned as the case progresses. Delta’s legal team, led by Attorney-General Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, has reportedly been instructed to file a notice of discontinuance with the court.

This development comes as the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Kudirat Ekekere-Ekun, prepares to convene a seven-member panel to hear the case. The outcome of this case remains a crucial matter for constitutional interpretation regarding the balance of power between the president and state governors.