The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has sparked intense criticism following the recent appointment of 23 new local government administrators and a new chairman for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The appointments were made public on Wednesday, with Ibas replacing the caretakers in all 23 local government areas with new administrators, while the former RSIEC chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), was replaced by Dr. Michael Odey. Dr. Odey, alongside six members – four of whom are professors – will now oversee the state’s electoral activities.
The controversial decision came on the heels of a court order issued just a day earlier by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which had summoned Ibas to justify why he should not be prevented from making such appointments. This legal development raised concerns about the legality of Ibas’ actions, especially since the case in question involved the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative.
The government announcement detailing the appointments was issued by Rivers State’s Secretary to the Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika. The statement revealed that Ibas had approved the new appointments, effective from April 7, 2025. Additionally, the sole administrator took steps to reconstitute certain state boards and commissions previously suspended.
The timing of these moves also followed Ibas’ suspension of all heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the state, as well as the cancellation of pending procurement and tender processes. The reasons cited for the cancellations were related to a recent Supreme Court ruling and the absence of an appropriation law.
Critics of Ibas’ actions were quick to voice their concerns. Jerry Omatsogunwa, Special Adviser on Electronic Media to Governor Siminilayi Fubara, condemned the appointments, calling them an example of unchecked impunity. He accused Ibas of disregarding the law and said the new appointments were made despite an active court injunction against such actions.
“Ibas has become a lord unto himself,” Omatsogunwa stated. “We cannot have that in a democratic setting. All well-meaning Rivers people must condemn such acts.”
PANDEF (Pan Niger Delta Forum) also voiced strong opposition, with the group’s National Chairman, Amb. Godknows Igali, accusing Ibas of dismantling the democratic structures in the state. Igali referred to these actions as an “unbelievable level of dismantling” of vital democratic institutions, even citing the removal of the governor’s photographs from government offices as an example of this troubling trend.
He added, “This I saw first-hand at the Port Harcourt International Airport, where I often pass through and was told this was at the behest of your administration. On inquiry, I was told that this has happened in all other government offices around the state.
“Beyond that is your most recent decision to suspend the boards of existing statutory institutions such as the State Independent Electoral Commission, governing councils of tertiary institutions, and even the revered traditional rulers council.’’
“I do not claim to be an expert on constitutional matters but as one who has been atop in the country’s bureaucracy and from best global practices around the world which I know too well from my diplomatic career of nearly half a century, the duties of a sole administrator as a placeholder are making decisions in an interim manner regarding the management and day-to-day administration of the state, financial control, especially receiving money, making payments, and ensuring transparency; managing personnel and ensuring other human resource functions; and taking measures to ensure peace, particularly using the office to intermediate and bring back peace to the realm in question; in this case, Rivers State,” he enumerated.
“This is more so as I have thoroughly read the Gazette dated 19th March, 2025 appointing you as Administrator as well as extracts of National Assembly proceedings of Thursday, 20th March, 2025 and do not find the kind of wide and sweeping powers being deployed by your office.’’
Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a respected elder statesman, also condemned the appointments, asserting that Ibas had no constitutional right to either hire or fire individuals in such a manner. He questioned the legitimacy of Ibas’ appointment, stating that it was unconstitutional, and raised concerns about the ongoing situation in Rivers State being an illegal attempt to override the law.
He said, “The man who is appointing them (LGA administrators) has no locus. He came unconstitutionally, and his appointment is not covered by the constitution, so it’s null and void.
“Since he has no constitutional bearing, he has no power to either remove or appoint anybody into any office. But what is happening is to tell the world that they had an orchestrated plan for a coup.
“And Mr President has come short of the constitution. Section 10 says that nobody can take the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any part of it without the due process of the law.
“So, if somebody is taking undue advantage without following the due constitution, it’s null and void, it’s ultra vires.
“Then, depending on section 305; section 305 doesn’t give the President power to suspend or to dissolve any elected office.
“So, the authorities that appointed them do not even have the power to say they want to dissolve, suspend or appoint at the state level. He doesn’t have those powers.
“All they are doing is to see that there’s impunity, they don’t respect the law. They don’t respect the constitution. They can breach the constitution anyhow they like but there’s a court injunction not to go ahead with this appointments and yet he flouted the court orders.”
Adding to the unrest, the Rivers Emancipation Movement (REM) announced its intention to launch a mass action in response to the appointments. The group’s president, Solomon Tamunotonye, accused Ibas of acting in the interest of former Governor Nyesom Wike’s allies, claiming that the new administrators were part of a plan to further deepen the political crisis in the state.
