The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has issued a restraining order against IBOK-ETE IBAS (RTD), the sole executive of Rivers State, forbidding him from appointing his sole administrator or his equivalent to manage the 23 local government areas of the state. The order was granted by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed, in response to lawsuit FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by the Pilex Citizen Education Center, a civic organization led by Courage Msirimovu.
The court’s ruling follows a motion filed on March 28, 2025, with the applicant seeking temporary relief to prevent the defendant and his agent from continuing such appointments. After considering the motion, Justice Mohamed approved the order and plans to conduct a substantive case on April 14, 2025.
Legal development is the latest chapter in the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, which was escalated in June 2023 after being elected as president of local government. The chairman, who was originally elected during the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike, was initially elected and claimed that 27 legislators were awarded to all progressive legislators and announced a scope (APC) (APC) for all progressive Congress (APC) (APC).
After taking office, Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the local government council and appointed the caretaker chair and ignited a fierce power struggle between his camp and Wike loyalists. Since then, control of local councils has become the focus of political competition between the two factions.
To re-establish local governance, the River State Independent Election Commission (RSIEC) held local government elections on October 5, 2024. However, the APC faction, loyal to Wike, challenged the legitimacy of the election in court. The Supreme Court peaked in a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, which favored the APC group supported by Vick.
In response to the judgment, Governor Fubara abolished the appointments resulting from invalid elections and directed the head of the local council government to be temporarily held until a new election is held. The move was strongly resisted by the APC, and a faction of defected lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, who accused Fubara of undermining constitutional processes and targeting RSIEC officials.
Governor’s supporters claim that the sole administrator is preparing to unconstitutionally appoint new administrators in the LGA, prompting legal challenges to lead to the incumbent court injunction. The ruling marks a significant development in the long-term political crisis in the Rivers State, despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a political emergency on March 18.
