Rivers State‘s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has appointed administrators for the 23 local government areas in the state.
This action comes barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt ordered him not to make such appointments.
The order was issued on Tuesday by Justice Adam Muhammed. The case (suit number FHC/PH/CS/46/2025) was filed by a civic group, PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative. It is led by rights advocate Courage Msirimovu.
The court ruling directed Ibas, in his official capacity, to stop any further moves to install new administrators in the councils. But on Wednesday morning, Ibas went ahead with the appointments.
In a special announcement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, the appointments were confirmed.
“All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025,” the statement said.
“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.”
List of Newly Appointed LG Administrators
Some of the new council heads include Mr Okroiyobi Animete for Abua/Odual, Mr Goodluck M. Iheanacho for Ahoada East, and Mr Promise Jacob for Ahoada West.
The full list of all 23 administrators can be read from below. The SSG noted that the appointees have assumed duties.
Last week, Ibas suspended all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Rivers State. He also put a stop to all procurement and tender processes that had not been completed.
He based the move on the absence of a functional appropriation law and the recent Supreme Court ruling, which affected key legal and financial processes in the state.
Cancellation of Projects and Refunds to Contractors
A separate statement from the SSG revealed that the administrator also ordered MDAs to refund all fees collected from contractors during the cancelled tender processes.
“All MDAs that carried out such processes must return the money to the respective contractors,” the SSG said.
So far, there’s been no official response from PILEX or Courage Msirimovu after the state government defied the court order. Legal experts say the state may face contempt proceedings.
The state is under emergency rule imposed on it by President Bola Tinubu due to political infighting among political actors.
Like 👍, Comment, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
