A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has stopped planned inauguration of newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), pending the outcome of a legal dispute over the removal of the previous occupants of the office.
The restraining order was issued on Monday, July 14, by
Justice Frank Onyiri issued the order on Mondayfollowing an application brought before the court by the ousted commission members.
Rev. Goodlife Iduoku Ben, Amadi Christian Echele, Chimenem Wisdom Jerome, and others are challenging t their unlawful removal from office.
The claimants were appointed during the tenure of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
They argued that their tenures remain valid and that any attempt to replace them without due process is unconstitutional and politically motivated.
In their motion, they prayed the court to intervene and prevent the state Government from inaugurating any replacements while their suit remains unresolved.
They also raised concerns that the state’s Accountant-General and certain commercial banks might facilitate the funding and implementation of the disputed appointments, prompting the court to extend the restraining order to those parties as well.
The defendants in the suit include the Rivers State Government, Vice Admiral Ibas, the Accountant-General of the state, and commercial banks such as Access Bank and Zenith Bank, which were all listed for their potential roles in enabling financial transactions related to the new appointments.
In his ruling,Justice Onyiri ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive case. He noted that allowing the inauguration to proceed would render the suit nugatory and cause irreparable damage to the rights of the claimants.
