Civil Society Organization, the Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Prevention and Social Integration, FREECON, has dragged President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Rivers State Sole Administrator, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), and its Chairman before a Federal High Court over the planned conduct of local government council elections scheduled for August 30, 2025.
FREECON is seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining RSIEC, its members, agents, assigns, and privies from conducting the local government elections across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
DAILY POST reports that the group is also praying the court to stop RSIEC from making further publications or announcements on print, electronic, and social media concerning the election notice pending the determination of the originating summons.
The group further seeks to restrain the RSIEC Chairman from distributing electoral materials, either physically or electronically, until the suit is resolved.
When the matter came up in court on Monday, counsel to FREECON, Amegua Lezina, argued that the court must determine whether, by a combined reading of Sections 197 and 198 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President has the powers to create or appoint a Sole Administrator or any other authority to usurp the Governor’s constitutional role in appointing the chairmanship and membership of RSIEC.
Lezina also questioned whether the Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibas, whose office, according to him, is not recognized by the Constitution, has the statutory responsibility to appoint RSIEC Chairman and members to conduct elections in Rivers State.
However, counsel to the defendants, Olumede Oluji, SAN, in what appeared to be a protest, informed the court that two of his clients had not been properly served with court processes and pleaded for time to effect service and file responses.
Presiding judge, Justice Turaki Mohammed, after listening to Lezina’s opposition to the oral application, on the grounds that there was proof of service, directed that the processes be served on the defendants’ counsel and adjourned the matter to September 3, 2025, to allow for responses within seven days.
Speaking to journalists after the sitting, Lezina described the office of the Sole Administrator as “a child born out of illegality not recognized by Nigerian law,” insisting that his client approached the court to ensure that the alleged unconstitutional arrangement is nullified.
Counsel to the defendants, Oluji, declined comment on the proceedings.
Rivers LG Poll: Civil society sues Tinubu, AGF, RSIEC, Rivers Sole Administrator
