A former magistrate in Rivers State has publicly declared that he cannot take orders from the newly appointed sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), following the imposition of emergency rule in the state. The magistrate’s stance comes amid sweeping changes in the state’s governance structure after President Bola Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, installing Ibas as the sole administrator for an initial six-month period.
The ex-magistrate, echoing concerns raised by legal professionals and civil society groups, insists that the judiciary remains a constitutionally independent arm of government and should not be subject to directives from an executive appointee, regardless of the prevailing political situation. This assertion aligns with President Tinubu’s own declaration that the emergency rule and the appointment of a sole administrator “does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate”.
The controversy follows a series of drastic measures by the sole administrator, including the suspension of all political appointees and commissioners in the state, a move that has been described by advocacy groups as a threat to democratic norms and the separation of powers. The ex-magistrate’s refusal to take instructions from the sole administrator highlights ongoing tensions over the boundaries of authority and the need to safeguard judicial autonomy during this period of emergency governance in Rivers State.
