Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately dismiss Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, for allegedly acting in defiance of a presidential order.

Speaking on Thursday, Falana accused the retired naval officer of breaching the Official Gazette titled “State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025,” dated March 18, 2025. According to the document, the Sole Administrator is to act solely based on regulations issued by the President—regulations which, Falana noted, are yet to be provided.

“It is common knowledge that President Bola Tinubu has not issued any Regulation for the operation of the Sole Administrator,” Falana said. “Yet, the Sole Administrator has made appointments and removed officials appointed by Governor Sim Fubara.”

Falana described Ibas’s actions as both a challenge to the President’s authority and a deepening of the constitutional irregularity surrounding his appointment.

“By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment. He ought to be removed without any further delay,” he stated.

The lawyer’s remarks further fuel the ongoing debate surrounding the political crisis in Rivers State, which erupted following the declaration of a state of emergency and the controversial installation of Ibas as Sole Administrator.