Rivers State Boils: Court Blocks Sole Administrator’s Plot to Hijack 23 LGAs in Defiance of Democratic Order
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Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital has issued an order stopping the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from appointing sole administrators or similar officers to oversee the 23 local government areas in the state.
It was gathered that the order was granted by the presiding Judge, Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed in response to a suit (No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025) filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, a civil society group led by Courage Msirimovu.
The ruling was sequel to an ex parte motion submitted on March 28, 2025, praying the court to stop the state government from making such appointments. Justice Mohammed approved the request and set April 14, 2025, for the hearing of the main case.
It could be recalled that the political crisis in Rivers State, which got more tensed after the tenure of elected local government chairmen ended in June 2023. These chairmen, were originally elected during the tenure of former Governor Nyesom Wike, who claimed their term was extended by 27 lawmakers who later defected to the APC and aligned with Wike.
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FCNN recalled that when Governor Siminalayi Fubara took office, he dissolved the councils and appointed caretaker chairmen, triggering a power struggle between his supporters and Wike’s loyalists.
In an effort to restore local governance, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) held elections on October 5, 2024. However, the outcome was challenged in court by the APC faction led by Tony Okocha. The legal battle ended with a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, favoring Wike’s group.
Following the ruling, Governor Fubara canceled the appointments resulting from the disputed elections and directed local council heads to take charge temporarily until new elections could be held. This action drew criticism from the APC and the group of defected lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, who accused the governor of violating constitutional processes.
It was gathered that the recent court case arose after claims that the Sole Administrator was planning to appoint new local government leaders without due process. The court’s injunction is a key moment in the prolonged political tension in Rivers State, which continues despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a political emergency in the state on March 18.
