BREAKING: Court Asked to Sack Rivers’ Sole Administrator Ibas, Details Emerge

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been dragged to court over the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) as the sole administrator of Rivers state
• A legal practitioner, Johnmary Jideobi, asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to sack Rivers' sole administrator
• Jideobi argued that the appointment of a sole administrator in Rivers state is unconstitutional, null and void, and of no legal effect whatsoever

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

FCT, Abuja - The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been asked to sack the Sole Administrator of Rivers state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd).

Legit.ng recalls that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Ibas as sole administrator in Rivers state after suspending Governor Sim Fubara and others.

An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Johnmary Jideobi, filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025 on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

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President Bola Tinubu was cited as the 1st defendant, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas, rtd, and Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation were listed as 2nd to 39th defendants.

As reported by Vanguard, Jideobi prayed the court to set-aside as void, “all actions and decisions [howsoever described or made] of the 3rd Defendant [Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd)] in the name of Sole Administrator of Rivers State, same being unconstitutional, null and of no constitutional force throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria for all.

Jideobi also further prayed the court to issue a perpetual order of injunction, restraining Presidnet Tinubu (either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, “from either removing, suspending or otherwise tampering with the tenure of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State [and indeed any other State in Nigeria).”

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The plaintiff further asked for an order of perpetual injunction, barring Tinubu, “either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, from appointing any Sole Administrator into any State Government House in the thirty (36) of the Federation for any purpose whatsoever.”

“An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the nomination/appointment and swearing in of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant.”

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nobel Prize winner, Wole Soyinka, condemned President Tinubu's decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers state.

Soyinka faulted President Tinubu's decision to suspend Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

He described President Tinubu's decision as excessive during a trending interview over the weekend.

Legit.ng also reported that the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives declared its support for Tinubu over the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state.

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The northern lawmakers said President Bola Tinubu’s actions are apt, timely, and constitutionally appropriate.

The chairman of the group, Hon. Ado Doguwa, accused suspended Governor Fubara of being in the know of the destruction of critical infrastructure in the oil and gas sector.

Rivers HoS resigns as Ibas makes 2 fresh appointments

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Ibas announced the resignation of Rivers state's HoS and the appointment of a new SSG.

The development came one week after the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. President Tinubu had on Tuesday, March 18, declared a state of emergency in Rivers and subsequently suspended Fubara, his deputy, and lawmakers over growing political tension in the state.

Source: Legit.ng