A High Court in Rivers State has issued an interim order restraining the Sole Administrator of the state, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, from inaugurating the newly confirmed chairman and members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Frank Onyiri of the Port Harcourt Division following the adoption of final written addresses by all parties involved in an ongoing legal dispute. The case was instituted by six former members of the Civil Service Commission, who were appointed by the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The plaintiffs—Reverend Goodlife Iduoku Ben, Amadi Christian Echele, Chimenem Wisdom Jerome, and three others—are contesting their removal by the Sole Administrator. They argue that their appointments were legally made and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly, with formal letters of appointment and supporting documentation already submitted to the Clerk of the House.
In a sworn affidavit by Reverend Ben, the claimants assert that the interim government lacks the constitutional authority to suspend them or appoint replacements to the commission. The court had earlier ordered all parties to maintain the status quo in April 2024.
The suit lists the Sole Administrator, the Accountant General of Rivers State, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, and several others as co-defendants. The judge has scheduled September 29, 2025, for final judgment on the matter.
The court’s latest decision is aimed at preserving the integrity of the judicial process and preventing further complications pending the outcome of the legal challenge.
