A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has prohibited the Rivers State Sole Administrator from appointing Sole Administrators for the 23 local council areas of the state.
The ruling was made by Justice Adamu Turaki Muhammed in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Msirimovu, against Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.) in his official capacity as Sole Administrator.
The court stated that the ex parte motion was submitted on March 28, 2025, seeking various reliefs, the primary one being an interim injunction preventing the respondent or his agents from appointing Sole Administrators—or any equivalent positions—for the 23 local government areas. The petitioners also requested any additional orders deemed necessary in the circumstances.
Justice Muhammed found sufficient reason to grant these requests and scheduled a hearing for April 14, 2025.
The previous elected local council chairmen had their tenures terminated following a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, which deemed their elections illegal. Subsequently, suspended Governor Fubara instructed the chairmen to transfer authority to the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGA), who have since managed the 23 local government councils.
However, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the appointment of a Sole Administrator in place of the suspended governor have raised concerns among political analysts. They fear that the Sole Administrator may appoint loyalists to oversee the local government areas.
The Pilex Centre’s decision to seek legal intervention aims to prevent the Sole Administrator from choosing individuals aligned with the Minister of the FCT, who is embroiled in a contentious power struggle with suspended Governor Fubara over the control of the state’s political structure.
