Court Bars Ibok-Ete Ibas from Appointing LGA Coordinators in Rivers

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued a restraining order against Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers State, preventing him from appointing coordinators for the state’s 23 local government areas.

The interim order was granted on Monday by Justice Adamu Mohammed following an ex parte application filed by the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, a civil society organisation led by Courage Nsirimovu. Ibas was listed as the sole respondent in the suit.

In a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed by Nsirimovu, the organisation sought an interim injunction to stop Ibas, his agents, or any persons acting on his behalf from appointing any sole administrator or similarly titled official for the LGAs. The motion was moved by the applicant’s counsel, A. O. Imiete.

After hearing the application, Justice Mohammed granted the restraining order and directed the respondent to appear before the court to show cause why the injunction should not be sustained. The matter has been adjourned to April 14 for further hearing.

The legal development follows heightened political tensions in Rivers State. On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, citing a deepening political crisis. The president suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly for six months, and appointed Ibas, a retired naval officer, as the sole administrator.

Shortly after his appointment, Ibas suspended political officeholders who had been appointed by Fubara. Prior to the state of emergency, Fubara had directed elected LGA chairpersons to hand over to appointed administrators, a move that followed a Supreme Court judgment nullifying the October 2024 local government elections in the state.

Amidst speculation that Ibas was preparing to install new LGA administrators, the court’s ruling now puts any such plans on hold, at least pending further judicial review.