By Citizenship Newspaper
Rivers state indigenes have sued the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, over the planned local government elections in the state.
The state government under the leadership of Admiral Ibas has fixed August 30, 2025 to conduct local government election in the state.
The plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo and Comfort Agbom, all indigenes of Rivers State, said the atmosphere is not yet conducive for the conduct of LG elections.
In the suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja, the plaintiffs are asking the Court to interpret whether the scheduled local government council elections in Rivers State can be lawfully conducted during the period of state of emergency.
The plaintiffs have through their counsel, Sunday Ezema, Esq., contested that the President had in the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 stated that there is “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” and “clear and present danger of the looming crises” which has affected “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.
The Plaintiffs are therefore contending that the emergency situations in the State has not abated or ceased till date, which is the reason why the President has not revoked or suspended the State of Emergency till date.
Based on this, they questioned the validity of the conduct of the council elections during the period of State emergency when there is no “public order” and “public safety” yet in the State.
They claimed that voters cannot vote in a period of emergency or in a situation of breakdown of “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.
In the suit filed on August 11, 2025, the plaintiffs prayed the court to stop the conduct of the council elections fixed for 30th August, 2025 or at any other date during the period of the State of Emergency, which has not ceased.
In the event that the elections are conducted during the period of the State of Emergency, the Plaintiffs are also praying the Court to set aside or nullify the elections for being a nullity.
It would be recalled that the previous local government elections conducted by the suspended Governor Sim Fubara was later set aside by the Court on grounds of irregularities; and this present court case appears to be tilting towards the same direction.
Defendants in the suit are President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Rivers State Government, Vice-Admiral Ibok Iba (Rtd) and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The plaintiffs prayed for the following reliefs: A declaration that the “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” and “clear and present danger of the looming crises” in Rivers State upon which the 1st Defendant proclaimed a State of Emergency in Rivers State on 18th March, 2025, has not abated or ceased, hence the refusal of the 1st Defendant to revoke the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 before or on 30″ August, 2025 or at any other date before the expiration of 6 months from 18″ March, 2025.
They prayed for a declaration that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants CANNOT lawfully conduct the Local Government council elections in Rivers State, during the period of, subsistence and/or the pendency of the State of Emergency in Rivers State;
A declaration that the “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” and “clear and present danger of the looming crises” in Rivers State that led to the Proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State by the 1st Defendant, having not abated or ceased, any Local Government council elections conducted in Rivers State by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants during the period of, subsistence and/or the pendency of the State of Emergency in Rivers State, on 30″ August, 2025 or at any other date, is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void in its entirety.
