A Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to remove Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The lawsuit, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, named President Bola Tinubu as the primary defendant, along with the Attorney-General of the Federation and the attorneys-general of the 36 states.
The lawsuit seeks to invalidate Ibas’ appointment and any decisions made by him in the role, arguing that they violate the Nigerian Constitution.
The plaintiff asked the court to declare that the President has no authority to suspend or remove an elected governor, nor to appoint a Sole Administrator to replace them.
The lawsuit also called for an injunction to prevent the President from appointing any Sole Administrator in the future.
The case challenged the constitutionality of the suspension of the Rivers State Governor and Deputy Governor on March 18, 2025, and the appointment of Ibas as Sole Administrator.
The plaintiff claimed that the actions are unlawful and should be overturned.
In the legal documents, the plaintiff questioned whether the President has the power to interfere with the tenure of elected state officials, asserting that the Constitution does not allow for such actions.
The suit argued that the President’s move undermines the constitutional order and could set a dangerous precedent if allowed to stand.
No date has been set yet for the hearing of the case.
