A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has issued an interim injunction preventing the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, from appointing administrators to oversee the 23 local councils in the state.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday, following a case brought before the court under Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025. The suit, filed by the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Nsirimovu, challenges the actions of the Sole Administrator in his official capacity.
The ex parte motion, filed on March 28, 2025, sought several reliefs, primarily requesting the court to bar Ibas or his agents from appointing any sole administrator—or any equivalent position—to manage the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The motion also requested additional orders as deemed necessary.
Justice Adamu Turaki, presiding over the case, determined that there was sufficient reason to grant the requested interim injunction. The judge scheduled a hearing for April 14, 2025, to further review the matter.
The controversy began after the tenure of elected local council chairmen who served under former Governor Nyesom Wike ended in June 2023. These chairmen secured an extension from the 27 defected lawmakers loyal to Wike, but following the expiration of their term, then-suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the councils and appointed caretaker chairmen.
The political struggle over control of the LGAs intensified, as local councils are seen as critical power bases in state politics. In an effort to resolve the situation, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had scheduled local elections for October 5, 2024. However, the election faced legal challenges from the APC faction loyal to Wike, which took the RSIEC to court. Despite the lawsuit, the elections proceeded.
The legal dispute culminated in a ruling by the Supreme Court on February 28, 2025, in favor of the Wike-backed APC led by Tony Okocha. Following this decision, the governor removed the elected chairmen whose positions had been nullified and appointed interim administrators in their place.
Tensions escalated further when Okocha and the defected lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule sought the removal of the RSIEC chairman, and the State of Emergency was declared, resulting in the appointment of the sole administrator.
Fearing that the Sole Administrator might proceed to appoint administrators to run the local councils in violation of constitutional provisions, the PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative filed the lawsuit to prevent such actions.
