In a bold and controversial move, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), has approved the appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the state—less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt issued an order restraining him from doing so.
The legal action, filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu, sought to prevent Ibas from unilaterally installing administrators to oversee local council affairs. The order, granted by Justice Adam Muhammed on Tuesday in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, was expected to halt further action. But on Wednesday morning, a Special Government Announcement from the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, revealed that Ibas had moved forward regardless.
“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.”
While the names of the new administrators were conspicuously absent from the release, sources close to the government hinted that the appointments are part of a larger restructuring effort to consolidate control and reposition governance across the state.
This latest development adds to a string of sweeping reforms and administrative overhauls introduced by Ibas since assuming office. Just last week, he suspended all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state with immediate effect. In a parallel shake-up, he also nullified all pending procurement and tender processes initiated by MDAs, citing the absence of an appropriation law and referencing the recent Supreme Court judgment as justification.
The cancellation, according to an earlier statement also signed by Prof. Worika, mandates all MDAs involved in such processes to refund fees collected from contractors without delay.
Observers say Ibas’s actions signal a dramatic shift in governance style, but critics argue they veer dangerously close to authoritarianism—especially in light of the recent court injunction. Legal experts warn that ignoring a valid court order could set the stage for a constitutional showdown, further fueling tensions in an already politically charged environment.
With the state now gripped in uncertainty, all eyes are on Rivers as the implications of Ibas’s sweeping decisions begin to unfold.
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