The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has officially approved the appointment of a new chairman and members for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Professor Ibibia Worika, the new RSIEC Chairman, Dr. Micheal Ekpai Odey, will lead a team consisting of six members, including four professors.
The appointments, which take effect from Monday, April 7, 2025, were made in line with Ibas’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the operations of the commission. The full list of appointees includes:
Dr. Micheal Ekpai Odey (Chairman)
Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira (Member)
Professor Author Nwafor (Member)
Professor Godfrey Woke Mbgudiogha (Member)
Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaninwor (Member)
Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce (Member)
Professor Chidi Halliday (Member)
The announcement also comes on the heels of last week’s suspension of all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Rivers State, including the former chairman of RSIEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired).
The new appointments are expected to bring fresh leadership to the electoral commission as the state prepares for future elections. This move follows Ibas’s commitment to ensuring effective governance and the proper functioning of key institutions within the state.
