The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been asked to sack the recently appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, rtd.

While President Bola Tinubu was cited as the 1st defendant, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas, rtd, and Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation, were listed as 2nd to 39th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, which was lodged before the court on Tuesday.

The suit, which was filed by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, is equally praying the court to set-aside as void, “all actions and decisions [howsoever described or made] of the 3rd Defendant [Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd)] in the name of Sole Administrator of Rivers State, same being unconstitutional, null and of no constitutional force throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria for all purposes.”

The plaintiff further prayed the court to issue a perpetual order of injunction, restraining the 1st defendant (Tinubu, either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, “from either removing, suspending or otherwise tampering with the tenure of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State [and indeed any other State in Nigeria].”

As well as an order of perpetual injunction, barring President Tinubu, “either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, from appointing any Sole Administrator into any State Government House in the thirty (36) of the Federation for any purpose whatsoever.”

In the Originating Summons he filed through a consortium of lawyers led by Mr. Chimezie Enuka, the plaintiff prayed the court to determine:

“Whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety of Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [1st Defendant herein] has any constitutional authority [whatsoever] to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of the duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State [and indeed of any other State in Nigeria] and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described] such as the 3rd Defendant for that State?”

Upon the determination of the question, he prayed the court to declare that upon an intimate reading and complete understanding of the entirety of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, there is NO other circumstance contemplated by the Constitution for the removal OR interruption of the tenure of an elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State EXCEPT the circumstances contemplated under Sections 180, 188, 189 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“A declaration of this Honorable Court that in view of the entirety of Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has NO constitutional authority to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of a duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described] such as the 3rd Defendant herein for that State.

“A declaration of this Honourable Court that the purported suspension of the Governor and the Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant on Tuesday the 18th day of March, 2025 is unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.“

An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the suspension of the Governor and the Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant on Tuesday the 18th day of March, 2025, for being unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.“An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the nomination/appointment and swearing in of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant.”

Likewise, “An order of this Honourable Court directing Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) [the 3rd defendant herein] to vacate, forthwith, the Government House of Rivers State of Nigeria.”

In a 32-paragraphed affidavit he deposed in support of the suit, the plaintiff maintained that though President Tinubu has the constitutional power to declare a state of emergency in deserving circumstances in any part of the federation, he does not have the power to suspend elected officials like a governor who is not his appointee.“

As a Nigerian Lawyer and all through my years of practice, I have never seen the word ‘Sole Administrator’ in the amended 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I know that neither the 1st Defendant nor the 2nd Defendant appointed the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria and that no Governor or Deputy Governor in Nigeria is an appointee of the 1st and 2nd Defendants.

“I know that Nigeria practices Federalism, hinged on the separation of powers.“

I have instituted this suit in the public interest, in the defence of the Rule of Law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian Constitution, which is the most sacred document that holds the Nigerian State in balance and in being.“

I am genuinely worried that, in the absence of the intervention of this Court, removal of duly elected Governors and Deputy-Governors may become the pastime of the President, thereby opening the floodgate of anarchy capable of consuming this nation.

“It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons,” the plaintiff averred.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has stepped down from a case involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Justice Egwuatu was assigned to hear the suit, but on Tuesday, he announced that he would no longer handle the matter.

He made this decision after Senate President Godswill Akpabio wrote a petition questioning his impartiality.

Although the case was scheduled for hearing, when the court clerk called it up, the judge ruled that he was stepping aside.

He said he would return the case file to the Chief Judge, who would assign it to another judge.

On March 4, Justice Egwuatu issued an interim order stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

She was accused of violating Senate rules.

The judge ruled that the disciplinary process should not continue until the case was decided.

He also gave the defendants 72 hours to explain why the court should not stop them from investigating the senator without following the rules laid out in the 1999 Constitution, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Justice Egwuatu allowed the senator to serve legal documents on the defendants using substituted means.

The court ordered that the documents be given to the Clerk of the National Assembly or pasted at the National Assembly premises.

They were also to be published in two national newspapers.

The interim order came after the senator filed an urgent application.

However, despite the court’s ruling, the Senate Committee still held its meeting and suspended her for six months.

Later, after the defendants applied, Justice Egwuatu amended his earlier order.

He removed the part that prevented the Senate from taking any action while the case was ongoing.

Meanwhile, Akpabio’s legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, questioned the court’s authority to interfere in Senate affairs.

The Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, has resigned his appointment.

The resignation of the HoS, who served under the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara was contained in a statement issued by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator and obtained by newsmen on Tuesday morning.

The Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), thanked Nwaeke for his service to him within the short period since he assumed office and wished him well in his future endeavours.

The statement reads, “The office of His Excellency, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, is saddened to announce the resignation of the Head of Service, Rivers State, Dr George Nwaeke, FCA, Mni.

“His Excellency, the Administrator appreciates the immense contributions he has shown this administration in the short period he served and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

”Meanwhile, Ibas has appointed Prof. Ibibi Worika as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government.

Worika’s appointment was also contained in a statement from the office of the Sole Administrator also obtained on Tuesday morning.

The statement reads, “His Excellency, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) CFR, the Administrator of Rivers State, is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG).

“His appointment follows careful consideration of his credentials, extensive experience, and performance during rigorous selection process.

“Professor Worika’s distinguished career spans academia, international legal practice, and high-level policy advisory roles, making him uniquely qualified to support the administrator in the onerous task of achieving Mr President’s mandate.

His appointment takes immediate effect.

“Professor Worika’s appointment reflects the administrator’s commitment to harnessing the great human capital of the Rivers’ people to work with him to achieve the much-needed peace, stability and security.”