“Halt illegal appointments or face consequences,” PDP ward chairmen warn Rivers administrator

The Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Chairmen Forum in Rivers State, Comrade Collins Wobo Chukwu, has issued a strongly worded letter to the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas Ekwe (rtd.), demanding an immediate halt to what he described as unconstitutional and unlawful appointments across local government areas in the state.

In the letter titled “Re: Illegality of Your Actions As Sole Administrator – A Call To Immediately Halt Unconstitutional Appointments”, Chukwu condemned the recent wave of appointments allegedly made by the sole administrator without legal backing, calling them a “flagrant violation” of the Nigerian Constitution and Supreme Court rulings.

According to the PDP forum, the appointments into local councils bypassed the constitutional provision which guarantees democratically elected local government councils, as enshrined in Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Quoting from the Supreme Court ruling in Attorney-General of Abia State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (SC/CV/343/2023), Chukwu reminded the sole administrator that any act of dissolving elected local governments and replacing them with caretaker committees is “null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The forum also cited a recent judgment by Justice Akomaye Agim, who strongly condemned the appointment of unelected administrators in local councils, warning that such acts undermine democracy and violate the spirit of the Constitution.

“The practice of appointing unelected persons to administer the affairs of local governments is a breach of the Constitution and must not be tolerated in a constitutional democracy,” the forum quoted the Supreme Court.

Beyond the appointments, the forum also accused Ibas of disobeying laws passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule—whose leadership has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. The forum described Ibas’ actions as a “grave affront to constitutional governance” and a “dangerous defiance” of both legislative and judicial authority.

“We must be clear: these actions amount to contempt of court and a usurpation of democratic authority,” Chukwu said.

The forum issued three key demands to the sole administrator:

1. Immediate cessation of all appointments and administrative decisions made under his authority.

2. A public withdrawal and disavowal of all unconstitutional directives issued so far.

3. Full compliance with constitutional provisions and Supreme Court judgments moving forward.

Chukwu warned that failure to heed these demands would force the forum to explore every available legal and political remedy to protect democracy in the state.

“This letter serves as a formal protest and warning. History will remember where each of us stood in moments like this,” he concluded.

The development is the latest in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which has seen clashes between the executive and legislative arms over the control of local governments and enforcement of state laws.