Court restrains Ibas from inaugurating political appointees

Some officials appointed by the suspended Governor Fubara had challenged their removal, saying Mr Ibas lacks the power to sack them.

A State High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has restrained the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibo-Ete Ibas, from inaugurating political appointees.

The judge, Frank Onyiri, who gave the order on Monday, urged parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the matter, Vanguard newspaper reported.

Political appointees

Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, was appointed the sole administrator of the oil-rich Rivers by President Bola Tinubu in March.

Mr Tinubu had in a broadcast declared a state of emergency in the state and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state lawmakers.

Days after assuming office, Mr Ibas dissolved boards and agencies constituted by Mr Fubara and appointed new members to replace them.

Some of the appointees were recently confirmed by the National Assembly, which has taken over the legislative functions of the Rivers House of Assembly following the suspension of the state legislature by Mr Tinubu.

Angered by their removal, some members of the dissolved boards, including the Rivers State Services Board, had challenged their sacking in court, describing it as “illegal.”

According to the Vanguard newspaper, the claimants, Goodlife Ben, Amadi Echele, Chimenem Wisdom Jerome, and three others, are challenging their “illegal” sack by Mr Ibas.

The claimants argued that their removal did not follow due process and that Mr Ibas lacks the power to sack them.

Mr Ibas, the accountant general of the state, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, and 11 others are defendants in the suit, the newspaper reported.

The judge, Mr Onyiri, after hearing opposing arguments, asked Mr Ibas to hold off on the swearing in of new appointees pending the determination of the case and adjourned the case to 29 September for judgement.