Story by Iyiola Ayomide
While Nigerians are grappling with the question, “What kind of democracy removes an elected governor and replaces him with a retired military officer?”, the retired Naval Real Admiral who as now become the illegally appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State announced the appointment of Administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
This is although just hours before the announcement, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt scheduled April 14, 2025, to hear a suit filed by human rights lawyer Courage Nsirimovu of Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative challenging the removal of a democratically elected governor.
Nsirimovu is seeking to halt the appointment of LG Administrators in the state.
Justice Adamu Mohammed, presiding over the matter did not issue an explicit restraining order, instead directed that the Administrator of Rivers State be put on notice to appear and show cause why the request to stop the appointments should not be granted.
“I am of the view that it will serve the interest of justice to order the application to put the respondent on notice to appear and show cause why the application (to stop the appointment administrators in the 23 LGAs) should not be granted,” the judge stated.
Questioning the rationale behind the sack of democratic governance in Rivers State, notable rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN said: “If You see a Lawyer, Defending emergency rule, you ask: What Section of the Constitution allow removal of the Governor and suspending the Legislature?”