The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has fixed January 23, 2026, for judgment in a case challenging the legality of the last local government elections conducted in Rivers State. The suit, filed by a civil society organization, Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Prevention and Social Integration, questions the validity of the process that produced the current chairmen, vice chairmen, and councillors across the state.
The civil society group is demanding that the court determine whether the elections were conducted in accordance with the law, especially with respect to the appointment of the leadership of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the legal framework used for the polls.
At the centre of the controversy is the appointment of the RSIEC Chairman and its commissioners by the former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. Ibas was appointed to oversee the state’s affairs during a period of political tension and transition.
The Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Prevention and Social Integration argues that the Sole Administrator did not have the constitutional authority to appoint RSIEC officials. According to the group, such appointments must follow due process and must be carried out by the state government in line with existing laws.
The group says that because the RSIEC leadership was allegedly appointed in violation of the law, the local government elections conducted under their watch should be declared invalid.
The civil society organisation is also contesting what it calls unconstitutional amendments to the electoral laws by President Bola Tinubu. The group claims that the legal provisions under which the RSIEC officials conducted the elections were not properly amended through the correct legislative process.
According to the plaintiff, only the National Assembly has the authority to amend electoral laws, and not the President acting alone. The group maintains that if the legal basis of the elections was flawed from the start, then the entire exercise cannot stand.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, the counsel to the plaintiff, Amegua Lezina, insisted that the law must be followed, regardless of political circumstances.
“No individual can put something on nothing and expect it to stand,” Lezina said, stressing that the organisation’s position remains that both the appointment of RSIEC officials and the conduct of the elections violated constitutional provisions.
When the matter came up in court on Friday, all parties adopted their final written addresses. This is a standard court procedure where each side submits and summarizes their legal arguments before judgment is delivered. After hearing from the parties, the presiding judge, Justice Muhammad Turaki, adjourned the case until January 23, 2026, promising to deliver judgment on that date.
In a related matter, the same civil society organization has filed another suit challenging the legality of the National Assembly’s ratification of the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibas as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The group is questioning the authority of the National Assembly to set up a committee to oversee any form of emergency rule in the state. It also challenges the Assembly’s power to receive and approve the state’s 2025 budget, arguing that such responsibilities belong to the state government and not the federal legislature.
Other defendants in the suit include the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Assembly itself. Like the first case, this matter has also been adjourned to January 23 for judgment.
Rivers State has experienced a series of political disputes in recent years, especially around the control of local governments, state assemblies, and administrative appointments. The appointment of a Sole Administrator and the subsequent actions taken during that period have been the subject of public debate and court cases.
The controversies intensified as different political actors and institutions attempted to assert authority over governance structures in the state. Civil society groups, including the Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Prevention and Social Integration, have approached the courts seeking clarification on what they describe as breaches of constitutional order.
The January 23 ruling is expected to provide clarity on several legal questions surrounding the Rivers State local government elections and the authority exercised by federal institutions over state matters.
