Shock Move: Rivers Sole Administrator Breaks Court Order, Reshapes Local Governments

Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), Appoints LG Administrators Despite Court Order....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has approved the appointment of administrators for all 23 Local Government Areas in the state.

This move comes less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt reportedly issued an order restraining him from making such appointments.

The injunction, granted by Justice Adam Muhammed on Tuesday in suit no. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, followed a legal action filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Msirimovu, challenging the administrator in his official capacity.

In apparent disregard for the court’s directive, Ibas also gave the green light for the reconstitution of several boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals previously suspended.

These decisions were announced in a Special Government Announcement released on Wednesday morning by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.

Although the statement did not disclose the names of the newly appointed officials, it confirmed that all appointments take immediate effect.

The announcement read:
“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.
He has also approved the reconstitution of some boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals previously suspended.
All appointments take effect from Monday, 7th April 2025.”

Last week, Ibas had also suspended all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across the state with immediate effect.

In a separate directive, he cancelled all ongoing procurement and tender processes initiated by MDAs, citing the absence of an appropriation law and a recent Supreme Court judgment as the basis for the decision.