Court restrains Ibok-Ete Ibas from appointing LGA coordinators in Rivers

The federal high court in Port Harcourt has restrained Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers, from appointing coordinators to oversee the 23 LGAs in the state.

Adamu Mohammed, the presiding judge, issued the restraining order on Monday following an ex parte application filed by Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, a civil society organisation (CSO) led by Courage Nsirimovu.

The sole administrator is the only respondent in the suit.

Nsirimovu deposed to a 14-paragraph affidavit to support the application.

The applicant asked the court for 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”.

A. O. Imiete, the counsel to the applicant, moved the motion for the ex parte application.

After listening to the motion, the judge granted the application and ruled that the respondent should appear before the court to show cause why the application should not be granted.

The case was adjourned to April 14 for hearing.

BACKGROUND

On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state over the political crisis in the state.

He also suspended Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers assembly for an initial period of six months.

The president appointed Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the state’s sole administrator.

Shortly after his appointment, the Rivers sole administrator suspended all political officeholders appointed by Fubara.

Before the declaration of state of emergency, Fubara had asked elected local government chairpersons in the state to hand over to LGA administrators.

The suspended governor had issued the directive after a supreme court judgment nullified the LGA elections conducted in the state in October 2024.

There have been rumours that the Rivers sole administrator is planning to appoint administrators to oversee the 23 LGAs of the state.