Rivers: ‘Ibas Position Is Illegal, Whatever Actions He Is Taking Is Illegal’ – Okaba

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has strongly criticized the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), following his suspension of key political appointees of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Naija News reports that the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) also condemned Ibas’s actions, alleging that the move, which included demands for records from local government areas, was aimed at looting the state’s resources.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Ibas announced the suspension of the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners, and other appointees of the Governor.

The action has sparked outrage from the INC, with President Prof. Benjamin Okaba condemning it as illegal and unconstitutional.

According to Punch, Okaba argued that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor any legal framework provides for the suspension of an elected governor or the appointment of a sole administrator in a state.

“The Constitution does not provide for sole administrators or even the suspension of a legitimately elected governor.

“Section 308 of our Constitution is very clear, and those conditions were never met. So whatever he (Ibas) is doing is an extension of illegality. His position is illegal, and whatever actions he’s taking are illegal and punitive,” Okaba stated

Okaba further described Ibas’s actions as part of a deliberate attempt to capture Rivers State and its resources. He criticized the suspension of the commissioners and the secretary to the state government, asserting that it was a move orchestrated by those seeking to control the state’s wealth.

“Suspending the commissioners and even the Secretary to the State Government are all playing the script of those who are deliberate on state capture. They want to capture Rivers State and its resources at all costs, and this is one of the two options that was available to them,” Okaba said.

He also warned that further violations could be expected, pointing to the possibility of Ibas setting up caretaker committees at the local government level, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling against such actions.

“The same Supreme Court said you cannot have caretaker local government chairmen. The Supreme Court ruled, and the Attorney General of the Federation acknowledged that ruling because he was even the plaintiff,” Okaba noted, adding, “But when it came to the sole administrator being appointed, he now finds justification. So, you can see that it’s not about what is right, it is about how that thing that is right is in my interest even when it’s wrong. It’s not about being wrong, but it is all about whether it is in my interest, so it’s all self-serving.”

The INC president further expressed concerns about the ongoing erosion of democratic principles in Nigeria. According to Okaba, the actions of Ibas and others involved in this process represent a dangerous shift from the rule of law to a system driven by personal interests and self-serving agendas.

“The entirety is a collaboration of the judiciary, the executive, and the legislature, all conniving to place a dent on our democracy.

“The rule of law is not followed, it is the rule of interest, not the rule of law, and it’s very dangerous, particularly when the injustice in a nation now wears the mask of the law. It is very dangerous—that’s what we are passing through,” Okaba lamented

He expressed disappointment at the continued actions of those in power, noting that despite widespread condemnation, they seemed unashamed of their actions and were still perpetuating further wrongdoing.

“And you can see the condemnation all over, and in the midst of these condemnations, these people are not ashamed of themselves; they are still perpetrating more evil. The only hope we have is that in their contradictions, they will contradict themselves and fall at the end of the day,” Okaba concluded.

The Ijaw National Congress has called for accountability and for the rule of law to be respected, warning that any further disregard for democratic norms and constitutional integrity could have dire consequences for Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.