By Suleiman Anyalewechi
An advocacy group, the Centre for Constitutional Governance, CCG, on Thursday, March 27, 2025, accused the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Marshall Ibok- Ete Ibas, rtd, of provoking the peace of the State.
The Centre described the suspension of all political office holders in the State and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, as amounting to overstepping the bounds of his mandate.
The Source reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, appointed Ibas as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State after declaring a State of Emergency that swept the elected Governor, Deputy and members of the State House of Assembly out of office.
The action which the President premised on the need to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order, has been sharply and widely condemned by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians for what they say it is- a power grabbing exploration.
In the last 48 hours, Ibas has suspended all political appointees including the Secretary to the State Government, and Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He also announced the dissolution of the Governing Council of the State’s University, and the RSIEC.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Executive Director, Dr Ahmed Abdullahi, the CCG, accused the Administrator of embarking on a power grabbing mission with his tampering of institutional foundation in the State.
“The Administrator is not just overstepping his mandate, he is provoking the peace of the land.
“His actions threaten the very foundation of democracy, and if not stopped, could have lasting consequences for the entire nation.
“The dissolution of RSIEC and the University Governing Council is not just an overreach of power, it is an out right violation of the Constitution.
“These institutions are insulated from political interference for a reason: to safeguard democracy and ensure both academic and electoral integrity.
“What the administrator is doing amounts to executive lawlessness.
“This is not just an administrative decision, it is a blatant power grab. By dismantling the governance structure overnight and tampering with statutory institutions, the Sole Administrator is effectively freezing democracy in Rivers State.
“If unchecked, this could set a dangerous precedent for the Country. The Rivers State people are watching in shock as one man dismantles their institutions with the stroke of a pen .
“This is a painful reminder of the Military era when decrees and edicts replaced democratic processes .
“The Administrator’s actions are a direct insult to the sacrifices of our heroes who laboured hard for our democracy”, the CCG noted.
The Group, therefore, called on all relevant authorities, including the National Assembly, Judiciary, Civil Society organizations and men and women of conscience to urgently wade in.
It warned that the uncontrolled wielding of power by the Administrator could spell doom not just for the peace of Rivers State, but also could undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
According to CCG ,the National Assembly must not play the ostrich while Rivers State is made a field for political experiment.
The Judiciary, it further posited, must act to stop the ongoing power grab and overreach in the State.
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