Group, Expert, Tackle Tinubu, Ibas over Rivers’  LG Polls

. Indigenes ask court to stop election

Alex Enumah in Abuja  and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A Political management consultant Joe Korka-Waadah described the proposed local government election in Rivers State as illegal (and unconstitutional).

This is as a group under the aegis of Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative stated that the proposed election is an alleged desperation of the current presidency to grab the state ahead of the 2027 general election.

Similarly, some Rivers State indigenes have dragged President Bola Tinubu, the Rivers State Government to a Federal High Court in Abuja, over the conduct of the scheduled local government election in the state.

In an interview with journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Korka-Waadah stated that the electoral body in the state did not observe over 90 days’ notice before the election date.

He argued that: “The potential local government election in Rivers State is unconstitutional. Legal experts have said so. Even the INEC chairman was unequivocal in his condemnation of it. INEC says the minimum notice to be given to the people before any of such elections should not be less than 90 days, but it was not observed in this instance.”

According to him, “RSIEC, the Rivers state electoral body, stipulates 120 days. Anything less is unlawful. So, it baffles so many people that a Wike/Tinubu constituted body through their military administrator would go ahead to force an election on the people of the state even when they are aware that such an exercise wouldn’t stand in the court of law.”

The political experts regretted that “Wike believes he owns the judiciary. Therefore, he believes he can get away with it,” arguing that “there is no provision in the constitution of Nigeria for the position of a sole administrator. As a result, anything done by him should amount to nullity before the law. It is only in a lawless country or in a pseudo democracy that such dictatorial tendencies can persist.”

He noted that the Sole Administrator of the State, Vice Admiral Ibot-Ete Ibas, “has no legal right to conduct an election.”

According to him, “I am aware that the president altered one or two policies to accommodate the error. The administrator was only brought in to address the so-called crises, which in actuality were non-existent. It was wrong for the president to have modified the powers of the sole administrator.  I believe it would be counterproductive. It was wrong for him to have done so.

“I perceive the administrator as one who is power drunk. In the first place, he started by dismantling all democratic institutions that he encountered. I believe he was sent there to put in place a strategy that would bring about the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni land. From the way things are going, it’s hard to believe that the administrator would leave anytime soon.”

Meanwhile, in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, dated August 7, 2025, Pilex Centre demanded the immediate reversal of the state of emergency in Rivers State “to end the reign of impunity and consequential illegalities against the people of Rivers State and the Nigerian constitutional ideology of democracy and social justice.”

The group in the letter signed by Courage Nsirimovu further stated that: “Pilex Centre has looked at your new regulation theme: Emergency Powers (Conduct of Local Government Council Elections and Local Government Election Tribunal Proceedings) Regulations, 2025, wherein you defined the 23 local government areas of Rivers State as emergency areas and proceeded to bestow power on the sole administrator to appoint and swear in chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

“Sir, be mindful that these appointments were made before these irregular regulations, and cannot take retroactive effect to cure the anomalies and illegalities. You are part of those who join to waste Rivers State funds, as an independent judiciary will nullify this election.”

Meanwhile, some e Rivers State indigenes have dragged President Bola Tinubu, the Rivers State Government to a Federal High Court in Abuja, over the conduct of the scheduled local government election in the state.

The plaintiffs from Andoni, Obio/Akpor, Oyigbo and Port-Harcourt Local Government Areas of Rivers State are specifically asking the court to halt the conduct of the LG polls slated for August 30, on grounds that the said polls cannot be conducted under a State of Emergency.

The plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo and Comfort Agbom, in a 29 paragraph affidavit submitted that the atmosphere is not yet conducive for the conduct of LG elections. 

President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Rivers State Government, Vice-Admiral Ibok Iba (Rtd) and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) are 1st to 4th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/C’S/1144/2025, and filed through their lawyer, Sunday Ezema

The plaintiffs, in the suit, 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. 

According to them, 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 situation 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 of 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.

Amongst reliefs they are seeking include: 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 August 30, 2025 or at any other date before the expiration of 6 months from March 18, 2025. 

“An order restraining the 2”, 3 and 4” defendants … from conducting any Local Government council elections in Rivers State on August 30, 2025 or at any other date during the period of, subsistence and/or the pendency of the State of Emergency proclaimed by the 1st defendant. 

“An order of court setting aside, nullifying, cancelling and/or invalidating any Local Government council elections conducted in Rivers State on August 30, 2025 or at any other date during the period of, subsistence and/or the pendency of the State of Emergency proclaimed by the 1st defendant for being illegal, unconstitutional, null and void in its entirety”.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.