Atedo Peterside, the president of Anap Foundation and founder of Stanbic IBTC, has criticised the Supreme Court and judiciary for what he describes as their complicity in undermining democratic governance in Rivers State, following the controversial appointment of local government sole administrators by the state’s military sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
Posting on X on Sunday, Peterside shared an image questioning the logic and legality behind the appointments. The post read: “Dear Nigerian Supreme Court. So elected Governors can’t appoint Local Government Caretaker Committees but a Military Administrator can appoint Local Government Sole Administrators? That means your judgment on LG autonomy has been set aside.”
In a follow-up comment, Peterside clarified that he was not the original author of the widely circulated message but fully endorsed its sentiments.
“I am not the author of this instructive message for the Nigerian Supreme Court. However, I doff my hat to the unknown author because he/she has told the Nigerian Judiciary to wake up to their responsibility regarding the preservation of our democracy, which they are helping to destroy,” he wrote.
His remarks come amid rising tension in Rivers State after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and appointed Vice Admiral Ibas as sole administrator. One of Ibas’s first actions was to dissolve elected local government councils and replace them with sole administrators.
Critics argue that these moves undermine the constitutional autonomy of local governments, which the Supreme Court has in recent rulings emphasised must be preserved.
