Port Harcourt, Nigeria – Former Chief Magistrate of Rivers State, Ejike George, has explained that his recent resignation from the judiciary was a principled stance against what he described as a shift to military-style governance in the state.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, George said he could not continue to serve under a military-appointed administrator following the suspension of the state’s elected officials.
“I am simply saying that I cannot take instructions from a military administrator. I cannot,” he stated.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly. In their place, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as Sole Administrator to oversee the state.
George described the president’s move as “unjustified,” arguing that there was no constitutional crisis in Rivers State to warrant such drastic intervention.
“It is not fair to the people of Rivers State,” he added.
The former magistrate emphasized the structural and constitutional implications of such a decision, noting that magistrate courts traditionally operate under a chain of command led by the Chief Judge, who is aligned with the state’s elected executive.
“In all my 16 years of service in the judiciary, I have always taken directives from civilian administrations. I do not know how to suddenly begin taking instructions from a military administrator. I find it very strange,” he explained.
George also criticized the judiciary for failing to provide direction or training for judicial officers on how to function under a military-led system.
“Until that is done, I don’t know how even my colleagues would cope. So, for me, I am not the type to keep quiet. I decided to throw in the towel and go home and look for something else to do,” he said.
In response to claims by the Rivers State Judicial Commission that he was due for voluntary retirement, George strongly refuted the assertion, insisting his resignation was purely voluntary and prompted by a conflict of principles.
“I never faced any panel for any misconduct. Let them produce such a record if it exists,” he said.
George’s resignation adds another layer of controversy to the unfolding political crisis in Rivers State, as legal and civil society observers continue to debate the legality and implications of the federal government’s emergency declaration.
