Rivers

Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) has appointed administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the state capital, declined to issue a restraining order.

The case, marked FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, challenged Ibas’ authority to appoint administrators to oversee the affairs of local government councils.

But Justice Adam Muhammed on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, declined giving an order in response to a suit filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Msirimov

Hence, Ibas proceeded not only with the appointments but also approved the constitution of various boards, commissions, and parastatals that were previously suspended.

Details of the appointments and board reconstitutions were made known via a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, in the early hours of Wednesday, April 9.

The appointments take immediate effect.

The statement read: “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.

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“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.”

Ibas had last week suspended all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Rivers State with immediate effect.

Ibas also cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes carried out by the MDAs in Rivers State.

He said the cancellation became necessary following the Supreme Court judgement and the absence of an appropriation law within the period.

The sole administrator also directed all MDAs that carried out such tender processes for projects in their respective offices to refund such fees to the respective contractors.

The Star

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