Rivers indigenes drag Tinubu, Ibas, RSIEC to Court over planned LG election

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, has been dragged before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to challenge the conduct of the local government election in the state.

The state government under the leadership of Vice Admiral Ibas has fixed August 30, 2025, to conduct the Local Government (LG) election in the state.

In the suit, the plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo and Comfort Agbom, all indigenes of Rivers State, said the atmosphere is not yet conducive for the conduct of LG elections.

Defendants in the suit are the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu; Rivers State Government, Vice-Admiral Ibok Iba (Rtd) and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

According to the plaintiffs in suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1144/2025, filed through their lawyer, Sunday Ezema, they are asking the Court to interpret whether the scheduled local government council elections in Rivers State can be lawfully conducted during the period of state of emergency.

According to them, the President had in the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 stated that there is “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” and “clear and present danger of the looming crises” which has affected “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.

The plaintiffs are therefore contending that the emergency situations in the state have not abated or ceased to date, which is the reason why the President has not revoked or suspended the state of emergency to date.

Based on this, they questioned the validity of the conduct of the council elections during the period of state of emergency when there is no “public order” and “public safety” yet in the State.

They claimed that voters cannot vote in a period of emergency or in a situation of breakdown of “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.

In the suit filed on August 11, 2025, the plaintiffs prayed the court to stop the conduct of the council elections fixed for 30th August, 2025 or at any other date during the period of the state of emergency, which has not ceased.

In the event that the elections are conducted during the period of the state of emergency, the Plaintiffs are also praying that the Court set aside or nullify the elections for being a nullity.

It will be recalled that the previous local government elections conducted by the suspended Governor Sim Fubara were later set aside by the Court on the grounds of irregularities.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE