A federal high court in Port Harcourt has issued an order preventing Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers State, from appointing administrators to oversee the state’s 23 local government areas.
Justice Adamu Mohammed granted the restraining order on Monday following an ex parte application filed by Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, a civil society organization led by Courage Nsirimovu.
The CSO requested “an order of interim injunction restraining the respondent, his agents, and/or anyone acting through him or for him or on his instruction or authority from appointing the sole administrator or whatever name so called for the twenty-three local government areas of Rivers state.”
After hearing the motion presented by A.O. Imiete, the applicant’s lawyer, the judge ruled that Ibas must appear in court to explain why the application should not be granted. The case has been adjourned to April 14 for further hearing.
The legal action comes amid continuing political turmoil in Rivers State. On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Others were the Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State Assembly for an initial six-month period.
Ibas, a retired naval chief, became the state’s sole administrator on appointment by President Tinubu. After taking office, he suspended all political appointees chosen by Governor Fubara.
Before the federal government’s intervention, Fubara had directed elected local government chairpersons to hand over to LGA administrators. This followed a Supreme Court judgment that nullified local government elections held in October 2024.
Reports have circulated that Ibas planned to appoint new administrators to oversee the 23 local government areas. This has prompted the current legal challenge.
