By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Wednesday, knocked the Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Retd) for appointing 23 Local Government Administrators despite a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt earlier barring Ibas from making such appointments.

Speaking with Vanguard the CSOs described his action as totally undemocratic and sheer impunity, while his emergence as Sole Administrator remains unconstitutional.

Clear ‘civilian coup’ – CISLAC

The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani said, “First and foremost, Nigeria is following a constitutional democracy, and it is very important that our public officials and institutions respect the rule of law and follow all the due process, otherwise, if they don’t do that then it is an injury to the constitutional democracy and rule of law.

“So, therefore, we urge the Rivers Sole Administrator to respect the rule of law and not to contribute to the destruction of constitutional democracy in Nigeria.”

However, the CISLAC boss cautioned President Bola Tinubu not to disobey the rule of law, because he is a product of the rule of law.

“The President should understand that he is there as President based on constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and if he and his associates will flagrantly continue to disobey rule of law or court orders, it will not be nice for him and that will not be good for his reputation in Nigeria.

“You cannot just remove every democratic institution in that place because you (Ibas) don’t even have the public mandate. So, what they are doing is an aberration of rule of law and the mandate of the people.

“There’s no difference between a military coup and what is happening in Rivers State because you cannot come and remove all the democratically elected officials or institutions. You have no right and mandate to do that. So, what we are seeing is a clear coup in a civilian manner.”

Meanwhile, he urged the Rivers people to engage in accordance with the constitution and not with violence.

“Well, my message for Rivers people is that they should not be provoked to engage in any violence. Whatever they are doing, they should continue to pursue the line of the rule of law. They should not be provoked to engage in any violence or any trouble that will undermine their State.

“Some people are determined to balkanize Rivers, Kano, and Zamfara States, so they should not. People in those States should resist and ignore any attempt to provoke them to engage in any violence. It will not pay off because it will not help but surely, they should continue to be determined to ensure that they express their rights and demand for their rights in a peaceful manner”, he added.

Dancing on a keg of gunpowder – HOMEF

The Executive Director, Health for Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Arc Nnimmo Bassey described the action of the Sole Administrator as dancing on a keg of gunpowder.

Bassey said: “What is going on in Rivers State is the personalization and privatization of government. If there is a sole administrator for the State, why would anyone be surprised that there are sole administrators at the local government level? Rule of law? Constitutionality? It will be good to see a national poll on what citizens think of the legislature and the judiciary.

“As a citizen I see all the troubles in the troubled state and region as needless, unacceptable, wrong, obnoxious, unconstitutional and akin to dancing on a keg of gunpowder.”

Appointment of LG admins contravenes standing court order – Global Rights

The Executive Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, asserted that the action of the Sole Administrator by going ahead to appoint the 23 Local Government Administrators is contravention of a standing court order.

Baiyewu said: “Well, first of all, that is in contravention of a standing court order, and that in breaking the rule of law, and the rule of law is not being observed, and that it can be held in contempt of court.

“Second, look at the way he got there in the first instance itself, which the powers-that-be bestowed on him are not even clear. How long is he going to be there? And how is he meant to constitute in a democracy, in spite of a court order to stop that move, and that in a democracy cannot hold.

“This is absolute simple sacrilege, and that it should not ordinarily be able to happen, but then it has. The question is, are we going to sit back and are we going to watch, which as a people shouldn’t. This is the erosion of democracy before our eyes, and sanctioned by the President and the National Assembly.

“The President’s duty is to ensure that our democracy is salvaged, and that where he fails to do that that he himself because he is the one that appointed him and is no longer controlling him, therefore, he himself is part of the impunity that is eroding our democracy, and that he must cease and desist immediately and must retrace his steps.”

Action of Sole Administrator not just unconstitutional, dangerous – ActionAid

In his reaction, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, declared that the action of the Sole Administrator is not just unconstitutional but dangerous.

Mamedu said: “The action of the Sole Administrator in Rivers State is not just unconstitutional, it is dangerous. His appointment itself is questionable, and nearly every step he has taken since assumed power has been outside the bounds of the Constitution. By shunning a valid court order and unilaterally appointing local government administrators, he has violated the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees democratically elected local councils. More disturbing is the reconstitution of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), a body meant to operate with full autonomy.

“His actions amount to a direct assault on democratic governance and signal a shift toward executive authoritarianism at the state level. This may create a constitutional crisis and sets a dangerous precedent where constitutional mandates can be suspended under the guise of emergency.

“His actions also undermines Nigeria’s federal structure, weakens local government autonomy, and ultimately citizen-elected officials in River state have been replaced with unaccountable appointees. This will deepen public distrust and disenfranchising voters.

“If governance were Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas’ priority, he would have obeyed the court ruling and upheld the Constitution by facilitating local government elections or reinstating the ones that were duly elected, not bypassing them.

“The lawful path was to empower the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to conduct free, fair, and credible elections and not to hijack the process through illegal appointments. The role of an administrator, especially under a controversial state of emergency, is not to subvert the Constitution but to stabilise governance in line with legal and democratic norms.

“It is absolutely not constitutional for him to disobey court orders. No one, including a sole administrator, is above the law. Disobeying a valid court order is a direct violation of the Constitution and a fundamental threat to Nigeria’s democracy. It undermines the independence of the judiciary and sends a chilling message that impunity is state-sanctioned.

“If public officers can flout court orders without consequence, then the entire foundation of justice collapses. His refusal to comply with the court’s directive is unconstitutional, illegitimate, and must be challenged in every legal and civic space available.

“ActionAid Nigeria demands the immediate reversal of these illegal appointments and the reinstatement of constitutionally guaranteed electoral processes. We call for the full enforcement of the court’s ruling and for the State Independent Electoral Commission to be allowed to carry out its lawful duties. The rule of law must not be optional.

“This is not just about Rivers State, it is about the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy. We also demand accountability: those who facilitate or benefit from unlawful governance structures must be held to account in accordance with the law.”

However, he (Mamedu) counselled the President on what he was supposed to do based on the action of the Sole Administrator.

“The first and most urgent step is for the President to remove the Sole Administrator. His appointment is unconstitutional, and the process through which he was installed lacks any legal basis. As such, every decision made under his leadership is tainted with illegality and threatens to erode the very foundations of democratic governance in Nigeria.

“Now is time for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act decisively to uphold the Constitution he swore to protect. His continued silence just like in previous instances, including the harassment and unlawful arrest of peaceful protesters suggests tacit approval of such undemocratic actions.

“The body language of this administration increasingly points to a pattern of looking away when rights are violated, and institutions are undermined. The actions of the Sole Administrator have turned Rivers State into a constitutional battleground, and the President cannot afford to be silent again.

“He must publicly denounce this brazen disregard for the judiciary and ensure that federal authority is not used as a tool to override democratic institutions. We call on the President to immediately restore the rule of law in Rivers State, reinstate the integrity of the State Independent Electoral Commission, and guarantee the rights of citizens to participate in democratic governance without interference”, he stated.