Port Harcourt, April 10, 2025 — Prominent environmentalist and human rights activist, Annkio Briggs, has accused the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), of partisanship and unconstitutional conduct in the political administration of the state.
Briggs made the allegations during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time program, where she expressed deep concern over recent political appointments made by the retired naval chief, describing them as biased and potentially destabilizing.
The controversy follows Ibas’ recent announcement of administrators for all 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State—a move Briggs claims has sparked outrage among residents and political stakeholders alike.
“There is serious concern—I’ll take responsibility for saying this as a Rivers daughter—because this is the kind of action that could lead to a political explosion. Once it erupts, it might be beyond control,” she warned.
Briggs revealed that while attending a meeting in Abuja, her phone was inundated with calls and messages from Rivers indigenes expressing fear and confusion over the local government appointments.
“He [Ibas] has no constitutional authority to make such appointments. The constitution does not empower him to dismantle existing structures in the state or provoke unrest,” she added.
She further alleged that the sole administrator was not acting independently, but rather carrying out a political agenda on behalf of former governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“He is not neutral. He is executing a script, and we all know whose script that is—Wike’s. The individuals being sacked are those appointed by Governor Fubara, and those being brought in are largely loyalists of Wike. It’s a disaster in the making,” Briggs declared.
The activist’s remarks have amplified ongoing tensions in Rivers State, where the political rivalry between Governor Siminialayi Fubara and his predecessor continues to shape the state’s governance landscape.
Observers are now watching closely to see whether the federal government will intervene or address the growing unease over the appointments and their implications for peace and stability in the oil-rich state.
