Pilex Centre has condemned the plot by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas, to appoint administrators for the local government areas of the state.

The coordinator of the group, Courage Nsirimovu, in a statement said credible information from reliable sources have revealed plots by the Sole Administrator to surreptitiously yield control of the third tier of government in Rivers State to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in furtherance of their odious objective of state capture.

It said: “We condemn in very strong terms the unrefined and unlawful interferences of the Federal Government with the administration of Rivers State.

“This is especially in such an incautious manner that smacks of a perceptible taste to heat-up the polity, build tension and project the state in the light of a crisisridden sub-national territory.

“We are aware the Sole Administrator, appointed by President Bola Tinubu is not responsible to the people of Rivers State and therefore, every step he takes is geared towards satisfying the objective of defeating democracy, silencing the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and advancing the selfish, private vendetta of the President and his cohorts at the expense of the suffering people of Rivers State.

“In pursuit of the political vendetta, the Sole Administrator has relieved the Head of Service of Rivers State of his duty and announced a replacement.

“In a similar circumstance, he has appointed a New Secretary to the State Government – Prof. Ibibia Worika. “It is important to stress that Prof. Worika is an ardent loyalist of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

“He was Chairman of a delegation of Okrika people who organized a civic reception in honour of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, for influencing the appointment of one of their own – Boma Iyaye as Executive Director in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“We urge President Tinubu and his Sole Administrator to exercise restraints in their unlawful meddling into the administration of Rivers State.

“Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution explicitly states that the system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is guaranteed under the constitution.

One therefore wonders where President Tinubu and his illegitimate Sole Administrator derive the powers to indulge in the action they have resolved to take.

“While Nigerians have continued in protest against the suspension of democratic governance in Rivers State and the consequential appointment of a Sole Administrator thereof, as unconstitutional, it is saddening that the said Sole Administrator whose appointment is illegal is wont to commit another illegality by planning to unlawfully appoint Sole Administrators for the local government councils.”