Di Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (wey don retire), don enter serious gbege on Wednesday afta im sack di 23 local government caretaker chairmen plus di chairman of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Im replace di caretaker chairmen wit new administrators for all di 23 local government areas, and im also remove RSIEC chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired), come appoint Dr Michael Odey in place, wey go work wit six oda members, including four professors.
Dis action come less than 24 hours afta one Federal High Court for Port Harcourt order Ibas make im show face to explain why di court no go grant one motion wey wan stop am from appointing new LG administrators.
Justice Adamu Muhammed issue di order on Tuesday for case number FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, wey one group called PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative file, under di leadership of Courage Msirimovu, against di Sole Administrator.
Di appointments wey Ibas make show for one special government announcement wey di Secretary to di State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, release on Wednesday. Di statement read say:
“Di Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, don approve new appointments for administrators for all 23 LGAs. Im also reconstitute some boards of agencies, commissions and parastatals wey dem suspend before. All appointments go start to dey work from Monday, April 7, 2025.”
Just last week, Ibas suspend all di heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for di state. Im still cancel all di procurement and tender processes wey dem don do before, say because e no get budget law to back am, based on Supreme Court judgment.
Im order all MDAs wey don collect money for tenders to refund contractors immediately.
Ibas still appoint chairmen and members for di civil service and local government service commissions.
But Govnor Sim Fubara aide on electronic media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, don condemn all dis moves. Im say na clear case of impunity, and say Ibas dey act like say na only im get power for Rivers State.
Omatsogunwa talk say, “We don see impunity ‘pro-max’ for Rivers. National Assembly don even talk say di budget wey Ibas dey plan no get head. Court don even summon am, but e still release 23 names for LG appointments.”
Im end by say di kain power wey Ibas dey display no fit stand for democracy, and say every well-meaning Rivers person suppose reject di actions.
