A case again got filed at the Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt, challenging the legality of the National Assembly’s ratification of the appointment of Sole Administrator for Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
A civil society organisation, Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Preservation and Social Integration, filed the matter, questioning the authority of the National Assembly to approve such an appointment and to constitute a committee to oversee the purported emergency rule in Rivers State, including its reception and handling of the State’s 2025 budget.
Defendants in the suit include the Sole Administrator, Ibas, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the National Assembly.
This legal action came barely a month after all suits related to the state of emergency and the suspension of the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu and State House of Assembly members were transferred to the Federal High Court in Abuja, in line with Order 49 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules.
When the matter came up in court, counsel to the first and second defendants, Ola Faro, requested more time to respond to the originating summons.
The plaintiff did not oppose the request, and the presiding judge, Justice Muhammad Turaki, adjourned the case to July 21, 2025, for hearing.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, plaintiff’s counsel, Kingdom Chukwuezi, explained the basis of the legal action, emphasising that the group was seeking “clarity” on what it described as an “unconstitutional role taken by the National Assembly in the administration of Rivers State”.
While no legal representative appeared in court on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, counsel to two of the defendants, Faro, declined to comment on the matter.
