Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas retd.
By Maureen Dick
THE non-governmental organization (NGO), Initiative For Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership, led by a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Chizy Enyi, has dragged the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), State Government, Attorney General of the state and the State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) before a state High Court.
The claimant, in an originating summons, wants the court to determine whether the Sole Administrator who is the first defendant not being the Governor of Rivers State, can lawfully and/or validly exercise the duties and powers conferred on the Governor of the State under sections 176(1) and (2), 197 (1) and (3) and 198 of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as exercised with respect to the appointment of the Board Members of the RSIEC.
In the suit, the claimant seeks a declaration that the purported nomination, appointment, constitution and presentation of the purported members of the board of the fourth defendant, which is RSIEC by the first defendant, contrary to the exclusive powers, duties and functions conferred on the Executive Governor of Rivers State, under the sections of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) is unlawful, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
Also, the claimant is equally seeking an order of the court setting aside the purported nomination, appointment, constitution and presentation of the purported board members of the RSIEC made sometime in May, 2025, by the sole administrator, and also an order of the court setting aside all actions purportedly carried out by the purported board members of the RSIEC, including the conduct of the Rivers State Local Government elections.
The Initiative For Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership led by the legal practitioner, Enyi, also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant by himself, privies, agents, assigns, administrators and/or howsoever so named, from interfering or further interfering and usurpation of the exclusive powers,
The group also seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining the second, third and fourth defendants by themselves, privies, agents, assigns, administrators and/or, howsoever, so named from giving effect to or recognition to the purported nomination, appointment, constitution and presentation made by the first defendant, as it relates to the board membership of the fourth defendant.
The group equally asks the court for an order directing the defendants in the suit to pay to the claimants, the sum of N10 million being and representing general and aggravated damages.
According to the process obtained by Daily Sun, the defendants are expected to enter appearance in the suit by Enyi, and Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership within 21 days including the day of receipt of the process before Justice Esle Thompson.