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BREAKING: Defying Court Order, Ibas Appoints Administrators For 23 Rivers LGAs, Reconstitutes State Boards
The appointments were announced in a Special Government Announcement issued early Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.
Port Harcourt, Rivers State — The Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has appointed administrators for all 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state — less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt reportedly restrained him from doing so.
The appointments were announced in a Special Government Announcement issued early Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.
“His Excellency The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointments of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State,” the statement read.
“He has also approved the reconstitution of some boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals, earlier suspended. All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025.”
The announcement, however, did not list the names of the newly appointed LGA administrators or the boards being reconstituted.
This development comes on the heels of a ruling by Justice Adam Muhammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, who on Tuesday issued an interim order restraining Ibas from appointing any administrators for the LGAs.
The ruling was in response to a suit (No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025) filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by civic rights advocate Courage Msirimovu.
Speaking to reporters, Msirimovu said, “This is a clear violation of the rule of law. You cannot act as though the courts do not exist. This sets a dangerous precedent for governance in Nigeria.”
The legal challenge argues that the appointment of LGA administrators without an electoral process undermines democratic principles and violates existing legal frameworks.
Despite the pending legal dispute, Ibas has continued to assert control over state affairs.
Last week, he suspended all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state and directed the cancellation of all pending procurement and tender processes carried out by MDAs.
According to a previous statement also issued by the SSG, MDAs were ordered to refund any tender fees already paid by contractors.
Ibas justified the move by citing a recent Supreme Court judgment and the absence of an appropriation law to back such contracts.
“The absence of an appropriation law means there is no legal foundation for many of these procurement processes. All such actions are null and void,” the statement read.
