PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has issued a restraining order against Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers State, preventing him from appointing coordinators to oversee the state’s 23 local government areas (LGAs).
The court granted the order on Monday, April 7, 2025, following an ex parte application filed by Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, a civil society organization (CSO) led by Courage Nsirimovu.
The application sought an interim injunction to prevent Ibas, his agents, or anyone acting on his behalf from appointing the coordinators or any similar officials.
In support of the application, Nsirimovu deposed a 14-paragraph affidavit.
The court, after hearing the motion, granted the restraining order and ordered Ibas to appear before the court on April 14 to show cause why the injunction should not be made permanent.
The case arose after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, citing the political crisis in the state.
This move resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Tinubu appointed Ibas, a retired naval officer, as the state’s sole administrator to oversee the administration of the state during this period.
Following his appointment, Ibas suspended all political appointees made by Fubara, and there were indications that he intended to appoint administrators for the 23 LGAs in the state, despite concerns raised by opposition groups.
These developments led to the application filed by the civil society organization, challenging the legality of such appointments under the current administrative circumstances.
The court has now delayed the implementation of these potential appointments, pending the next hearing on April 14.
