Rivers: Obey Court ruling, halt appointments — Bode George tells Ibas

… says Nigeria not under military regime

Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has advised Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd), to obey court ruling which prevented him from making any appointment or reconstituting boards of agencies, commissions and parastatals, to avoid regretting his actions.

George gave this counsel in a statement issued on Friday, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, urging Ibas to apply the brake immediately over his series of appointments and reconstitution of boards of agencies, commissions and parastatals.

ALSO READ: FULL LIST: Ibas’ fresh appointments to Rivers civil service, LG commissions

The PDP chieftain, who is also the Atona Oodua of Yoruba land, while appealing to the Rivers State administrator not to do anything illegal which he would regret later when he leaves office on September 18, 2025, noted that Justice Adamu Turaki Muhammed of a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had barred Ibas from appointing sole Administrators to oversee the 23 local government areas in the state.

“But, flouting the order, Ibas immediately appointed Administrators for the councils and reconstituted boards of all parastatals and agencies.

“I want to warn Admiral Ibas. If you do anything against the spirit of the Constitution, you will be held responsible. You can’t escape it because your appointment is just for six months. If the President likes, let him extend your appointment, you will leave one day because nobody elected you as the Administrator of Rivers State. That position is not recognised legally.

“Your appointment is temporary, just six months. You were not elected by the people of Rivers State. Your name was not on the ballot in 2023. Your appointment as Administrator is a misnomer. That is why PDP governors have already approached the Supreme Court to declare your appointment illegal.

“Siminalayi Fubara remains the governor, and he is alive. So, why are you appointing Administrators to manage all the councils? What happens to their appointments on September 18 when you leave the office? Why are you flouting Justice Adamu Turaki Muhammed’s order, barring you from appointing
Administrators to oversee the 23 local governments?” George queried.

Speaking further, George queried if Ibas secured the approval of the National Assembly for what he had embarked upon, wondering if he now had powers of the Executive and Legislature in Rivers State.

He insisted that the Rivers administrator had no legal rights to appoint anybody, warning that Nigeria was not under a military regime, while the constitution remains in force and democracy, therefore, fully on the ground.

“Did you get approval from the National Assembly to reconstitute Boards of Agencies, Commissions, and Parastatals? Do you now have powers of the Executive and Legislature in Rivers State?” he further queried.

“My warning is this: You have no legal rights to appoint anybody. This is not a military regime. The constitution has not been suspended or repealed. Democracy is fully on the ground.

“People using you now will throw you under the bus when you leave this office which is temporary.

“The governor is still there. You are just to keep watch. I am advising you as your senior in the Navy and the Military. You should be very careful. When you leave in September, people using you now will disown you.

“Who is pushing you to hell? Who is telling you to flout court order? You behaved well as a Naval officer. I don’t want you to end badly as a retired officer due to unconstitutional actions. As a Naval officer, you did not drown. If you are not careful, those pushing you will drown you legally and politically. Time for you to apply the brake is now,” he reiterated.

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