Rivers crisis deepens as Ibas sacks 23 LG Caretakers, RSIEC Chair amid widespread backlash

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has come under heavy fire following his recent decision to sack all 23 local government caretaker chairmen and the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), replacing them with new appointees.

The decision, which was announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including political leaders, civil rights groups, and elder statesmen. Dr. Michael Odey was named as the new RSIEC chairman and will work alongside six others, four of whom are professors.

This development comes less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt summoned Ibas to explain why the court should not halt his move to appoint administrators across the LGAs. The order, issued by Justice Adamu Muhammed, followed a suit filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu.

In a swift move, Ibas also reconstituted several state boards and suspended all prior procurement and tender processes conducted by ministries, departments, and agencies, citing the absence of a valid appropriation law and a recent Supreme Court judgment.

The appointments and sweeping reforms have ignited intense public outrage. Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s media aide, Jerry Omatsogunwa, slammed Ibas’ actions, accusing him of “impunity taken too far” and likening his behavior to that of a dictator. He noted that the court had already summoned Ibas regarding the appointments and questioned the legality of such decisions.

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), through its national chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, strongly condemned the dissolution of democratic structures in Rivers. In an open letter, Igali lamented the dismantling of institutions and the removal of Governor Fubara’s portraits from government offices. He argued that Ibas’ sweeping powers were beyond the scope of his appointment as an interim administrator.

Echoing PANDEF’s concerns, elder statesman and member of the Rivers Elders and Leaders Council, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, described the situation as a “coup” against democracy. He argued that Ibas’ appointment by President Bola Tinubu lacked constitutional backing and declared all his decisions “null and void.”

Adding to the backlash, the Rivers Emancipation Movement (REM), led by Solomon Tamunotonye, threatened mass protests. The group rejected the appointments, alleging that most of the new administrators are loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and warned that the move would worsen the state’s political turmoil.

However, not everyone opposed the developments. Hon. Kingsley Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency and serves as the House Minority Leader, defended Ibas’ actions. Chinda insisted that the administrator acted within the law, arguing that the absence of elected council chairmen and a functioning RSIEC compelled Ibas to appoint interim administrators to maintain order.

Chinda challenged critics to cite any constitutional provision barring Ibas from appointing officials, maintaining that the actions do not breach Section 305 of the Constitution.

Despite mixed opinions, the growing tension in Rivers State underscores the fragile political atmosphere and raises questions about the legality and limits of the administrator’s powers. As court proceedings loom, the fate of governance in the state remains uncertain.