Amidst controversies surrounding his actions in the last three weeks in the state, Rivers State Sole Administrator (SOLAD), Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) has appointed administrators for the 23 LGAs in the state.
He has also reconstituted the Boards of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC ) and the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC ) with a promise to reconstitute the remaining Boards as soon as possible.
This is coming on the heels of a purported court injunction granted by a Port Harcourt Federal High Court on Tuesday April 8, 2025, barring the SOLAD from appointing these officers.
A Port Harcourt Federal High Court has ordered the Rivers State Sole Administrator to appear before it on the 14th of April to give reasons why an order seeking to restrain him against appointing administrators for the state’s 23 local government areas should not be granted
Justice Adamu Turaki Muhammed issued the order in a suit filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Nsirimovu.
But in a special government announcement signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof Ibiba Lucky Worika and released on Wednesday in the state capital stated that: “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, earlier suspended. All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025.”
Although, the special government announcement didn’t contain list of the appointees, it’s believed that it was a list handed over to the SOLAD by FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike in a midnight meeting in Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday. We’re yet to confirm as at press time, how many on the list are supporters of the FCT Minister.
Meanwhile, Courage Nsirimovu, leader of PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative has reportedly vowed to approach the court to declare the SOLAD’s appointments invalid, because, according to him, they’re unconstitutional.
