The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd), and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) have been dragged before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to challenge the conduct of local council elections in the state. 

The state government, under the leadership of Ibas, had fixed August 30, 2025, to conduct local council elections in the state. 

In the suits, the plaintiffs, Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo and Comfort Agbom, all indigenes of Rivers State, said the atmosphere is not yet conducive for the conduct of the elections. 

According to the plaintiffs in suit number FHC/ABJ/C’S/1144/2025, filed through their lawyer, Sunday Ezema, they are asking the court to interpret whether the scheduled local council elections in Rivers State can be lawful during the period of state of emergency. 

According to them, the President had in the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025, stated that there is “clear and present danger or imminent breakdown of public order and public safety” and “clear and present danger of the looming crises” which has affected “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.

The plaintiffs are, therefore, contending that the emergencies in the state have not abated or ceased to date, which is the reason the President has not revoked or suspended the state of emergency. 

Based on this, they questioned the validity of the conduct of the council elections during the period of state of emergency, when there is no “public order” and “public safety” yet in the state. 

They claimed that voters cannot vote in a period of emergency or in a situation of breakdown of “good governance, peace, security and order” in Rivers State.

In the suit filed on August 11, 2025, the plaintiffs prayed the court to stop the conduct of the council elections fixed for August 30, 2025, or at any other date during the period of the state of emergency, which has not ceased.