A renowned human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has called for the immediate dismissal of the Sole Administrator overseeing Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
He hinged the call for the dismissal over what he described as a violation of constitutional guidelines and failure to comply with the directives of President Bola Tinubu.
Falana made the call in a statement on Thursday, citing provisions from a Federal Government Gazette which clearly outlined that the Sole Administrator is expected to operate strictly under regulations issued by the President.
The gazette, according to Falana, states that the Sole Administrator’s actions must be guided by “Regulations that may, from time to time, be issued” by President Tinubu himself.
However, Falana pointed out that no such regulatory framework has been provided by the President since the appointment.
Despite this, the Sole Administrator has allegedly gone ahead to make new appointments and dismiss officials previously selected by the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Falana described these actions as unlawful and disrespectful to the President’s authority.
“The illegitimacy of the Sole Administrator’s role has been further deepened by his refusal to adhere to the President’s directives,” he said.
“There is no justification for keeping him in office any longer.”
His remarks come amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State, where disputes over governance and appointments continue to raise concerns about the balance of power between the federal and state governments.