- Human rights lawyer accuses appointee of defying Tinubu, breaching constitutional norms
Prominent human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged the Federal Government to immediately dismiss the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, accusing him of flouting constitutional procedures and disregarding President Bola Tinubu’s authority.
In a statement on Thursday, Falana cited the official Federal Government Gazette which governs the administrator’s mandate. The document, he said, clearly states that the Sole Administrator must operate strictly under regulations expressly issued by the President.
Quoting from the Gazette, Falana noted that: “The Sole Administrator shall operate on the basis of such Regulations that may, from time to time, be issued by me,” as signed by President Tinubu.
However, the Senior Advocate argued that no such regulations have been issued to date.
“It is public knowledge that President Tinubu has not issued any guiding regulation. Yet, the Sole Administrator has been making appointments and removing officials previously appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. This is a blatant violation of due process,” Falana said.
He condemned the continued actions of the administrator as unlawful, stating: “By treating the President’s authority with contempt, the Sole Administrator has deepened the illegality of his appointment. He ought to be removed without delay.”
The call comes amid escalating political tension in Rivers State, where the legitimacy of administrative decisions and the federal-state power dynamic have become flashpoints of legal and political scrutiny.
