A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the appointment of sole administrators for the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, by the sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as barefaced slap on the Nigerian Constitution.
He stated that happenings within a few days of the appointment of Ibas, who is former Chief of Naval Staff, have laid bare the ulterior motive behind the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu and subsequent suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Eze, in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, further stated that if not that Ibas was acting an already drafted script, he could not have mustered the courage to display this high level of intransigence in the heat of the nationwide condemnation that trailed his appointment by Tinubu.
He said more worrisome was the fact that the sole administrator has flouted valid orders of courts of competent jurisdictions and continued to make mockery of Nigeria’s Judiciary.
The APC chieftain said: “”Before the announcement of the appointments of LG administrators by Ibas, which was stealthily made to steal a march on Rivers people, an order of court was obtained asking him to appear and show cause why he should not be restrained from making such unlawful appointments.
“The order was issued Monday, April 7, 2025 by Justice Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt in Suit No: FHC/PHC/CS/46/2025, between Pilex Centre & Anor v the Administrator, Rivers State.
“Upon being served the court process on Wednesday, April 8, 2025, the Administrator announced the appointment and added that it takes effect from Monday, in a clear attempt to foist on the court a fait accompli and render nugatory any consequential order that may arise from the Applicants’ motion before the court”
He noted that Ibas’ appointments have raised serious constitutional questions, which only Tinubu; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike; the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and the sole administrator will answer.
