Ibok Ekwe Ibas, retired vice admiral and Sole Administrator for Rivers State, has approved appointment of 23 sole administrators in the local council areas of the state. The approval was released in the first hour of April 9 but was said to have taken effect two days earlier, Monday, April 7, 2025.
This is one day earlier than a Federal High Court interim order stopping the Sole Administrator from appointing sole administrators in the LGAs.
The order was granted by the Justice, Adamu Turaki Muhammed, in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025 in the case filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu against the Sole Administrator (Ibok Ekwe Ibas) in his official capacity.
The appointments and the list have however led to shocks and outcries in some quarters and jubilation in others. Feelers from the Sim Fubara camp indicate anger, shock, and disappointment in the hopes for neutrality of the Solad while feelers from the Nyesom Wike camp managed by Tony Okocha indicate joy and sense of triumph.
In fact, congratulations are already flying to some of the appointees from the Okocha/Wike camp.
The government house terse statement signed by Ibibia Worika, the newly appointed secretary to the state government (SSG), said the Sole Administrator “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.
All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025”.
Read also: Fed High Court bars Rivers Sole Administrator from appointing Sole Administrators in LGAs
An observer reacted asking whether the appointments would be sent to the National Assembly for ratification. The members of a faction of the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly recently paid a visit of solidarity to the Sole Administrator and encouraged him and promised to support him to success. Wike paid a visit last weekend and many are linking the visit to the appointments.
Some of the reactions mentioned specific persons that served under the Wike administration now bouncing back as Sole Administrators of LGAs and heads of some boards and parastatals. They have identified the former Rector of Port Harcourt Polytechnic as well as former chairman of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission.
The full list however includes administrators for all 23 LGAs, ranging from academics and legal practitioners to surveyors and technocrats.
Additionally, the state government has announced a new board for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), with Michael Ekpai Odey appointed as Chairman.
The 27 lawmakers backed by Wike had fought hard to arrest or remove the chairman of RSIEC who was bent on conducting fresh local council elections in August 2025. Now, he has been replaced. The election may now go on smoothly.
Reacting, Jesse Okedi, academic, said: “The original plan from the onset is now out.” Dagogo Josiah said: “A sole administrator is not a governor just as a caretaker is not landlord.”
Alambo Datonye Fred added his voice: “This is ‘illegality’ from someone imposed on the people”, while Emmanuel Obe said it has always been about the money.
“They asked to be given the budget, now they have it all from state to local government.”
A voice rang out in defence of the action. Leke Prince Sordum, a known voice for the Wike camp asked: “Is the cry not too early?” This was interpreted to mean that those privileged to know what has been lined up think this is just a tip of the iceberg and early in the real plan.
Henceforth, the state may return to the polarization of the Sim versus Wike camps where many Sim Fubara supporters believe that the leadership of the state at the moment in the interim is same with the camp opposed to them.
