The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas has appointed 23 LGA heads, defying court order issued less than 24 hours before the announcement was made.
He also appointed Michael Odey as the new Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
This was made public in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika.
According to the statement, the appointments take immediate effect from Monday, April 7, 2025.
Ibas has also approved the reconstitution of RSIEC.
The new RSIEC members include:
Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey – Chairman
Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira – Member
Professor (Dr.) Arthur Nwafor – Member
Professor Godfrey Woke Mbgudiogha – Member
Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaninwor – Member
Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce – Member
Professor Chidi Halliday – Member
The appointments came less that 24 hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt reportedly restrained him from appointing administrators to oversea the affairs of the local government councils.
The order was issued by Justice Adam Muhammed on Tuesday in suit no. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025 in the case filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu against the Sole Administrator in his official capacity.
