Ex-Rivers Dep Speaker Files Suit To Block Release Of LG Funds To Sole Administrator

A former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marshall Stanley-Uwom has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Federal Government from disbursing funds intended for local government councils in the state to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd).

Uwom, a former lawmaker during Barr Nyesom Wike’s tenure as governor, resting on Section 7(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and the Supreme Court’s ruling, mainatained that Ibas lacks legal authority to appoint unelected officials as caretakers for the LGAs in Rivers.

He argued that their appointments are not permissible under the established legal framework.

Stanley-Uwom also sought an order that the declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers State issued and or proclaimed by the President has ceased to have effect.

He is also seeking an order “compelling the 7th Defendant (Ibas) to immediately vacate the office of Sole Administrator of Rivers State and allow the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State to resume his office.”

Aside from President Bola Tinubu, who was cited as the first defendant in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/797/2025, equally listed as the second to tenth defendants in the matter are the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vice Admiral Ibas, Rtd, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

In the Originating Summons, the plaintiff, represented by a team of lawyers headed by Sylvester Evbuomwan, informed the court that he is a Prince of the Agba Royal Family of Abua and holds the title of Adibaal Abuan 1 of Abua, located in the Abua-Odual LGA of Rivers State.