Ibas Appoints 23 Sole Administrators For Rivers LGAs
Amid mounting legal and political contention from different quarters, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) has approved the appointments of Administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
According to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika, also approved is the reconstitution of some Boards of Agencies, Commissions, and Parastatals that were earlier suspended by Sole Administrator.
The appointments are the latest twist in a protracted political power tussle in Rivers State, which has intensified since the expiration of the tenure of local council chairmen originally elected under former Governor Nyesom Wike.
A Special government announcement issued by Prof Worika on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the State capital, said that all appointments took effect from Monday, April 7, 2025.
The appointments are coming on the heels of a suit filed by a civil rights group, the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt to challenge Ibas’ move.
The case, marked FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, challenged Ibas’ authority to appoint administrators to oversee the affairs of local government councils.
Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed had earlier issued an interim injunction in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by the Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu.
The Court had restrained the Sole Administrator and his agents from appointing sole administrators, under any designation, to oversee the LGAs.
In granting the motion ex parte filed on March 28, the Court had fixed April 14 for a substantive hearing.
These appointments are the latest twist in the protracted political power play in the oil-rich Rivers State, which has intensified since the expiration of the tenure of Local Council Chairmen originally elected under former Governor Nyesom Wike.
Though their tenure ended in June 2023, the Chairmen secured what they described as a term extension from 27 defected lawmakers loyal to Wike.
The confusion saw Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolving the councils and appointing Caretaker Chairmen, a development that triggered a fierce contest for control of the local government structures, widely regarded as critical to grassroots political dominance.
However, with the Supreme Court ruling of 28th February 2025 nullifying the Councils’ elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on October 5, 2024, Governor Fubara directed heads of local council administrations to assume control until fresh elections are held.
