Rivers local govt boss appointed by Sole Administrator Ibas resigns

The Administrator of Ahoada East Local Government Area in Rivers State, Goodluck Ihemnacho, has stepped down from his position, a move that has sparked speculation and unrest within the region.

Ihemnacho was among the 23 local government administrators appointed across the state by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd).

His resignation was formally communicated in a letter dated June 20, 2025, and addressed to Ibas. The letter has since circulated widely, drawing attention and raising questions about the circumstances behind his exit.

In the letter, Ihemnacho cited a personal decision to transition back to the private sector as the reason for his departure.

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He wrote, “I humbly write to your noble office to convey to you my resignation as the Administrator, Ahoada East LGA. My sincere gratitude goes to the government of Rivers State and the good people of Ahoada East for finding me worthy to serve as Ahoada East LGA from 11th day of April 2025 to 20th day of July 2025.”

Despite the formal tone of the resignation, there have been swirling rumors suggesting his decision may not have been entirely voluntary.

A source familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the events, alleged that Ihemnacho may have been coerced into resigning following an incident involving unidentified individuals at the council premises.

“Intelligence sources indicate that minutes before the purported resignation of the Ahoada East Administrator, some men moved into the LGA council, manhandled the administrator, and forced him to sign the resignation letter,” the source claimed.

The same source pointed out an inconsistency in the resignation letter, noting that the end date cited—July 20, 2025—does not align with the actual resignation date of June 20.

“In the resignation letter, instead of 11th day of April to June 20, the letter captured April 11 to July 20, 2025. The council secretariat has been shut down, and the police have taken over the area,” he added.

As of press time, neither the Rivers State Government nor the police had issued an official statement regarding the developments at the Ahoada East council.