The political crisis in Rivers State took a dramatic turn on Thursday with the resignation of Chief Magistrate Ejike George from the state judiciary, in protest against the appointment of a Sole Administrator to oversee the state’s political affairs.
Magistrate George, who has served for 16 years in the Rivers State Judiciary, described the move as a “dangerous deviation from democratic norms” and likened it to the re-emergence of a “quasi-military administration.”
In a strongly worded resignation letter dated April 11, 2025, and addressed to the Chief Judge of Rivers State through the Judicial Service Commission, George announced his voluntary retirement, stating that he could no longer serve under a system that undermines democratic principles and the legal profession.
“This difficult and regrettable decision is informed largely by my discomfort with the recent appointment of a quasi-military administration to run the affairs of a modern state like ours,” he wrote.
He continued, “Milord will agree with me that this type of governance system is not only alien but also runs antithetical to our hallowed profession as legal practitioners and adjudicators.”
George, who has practiced law for 22 years, said he spent 16 of those years as a Magistrate under various democratic dispensations and could not, in good conscience, remain a part of what he described as an “alien” system. “To do so would amount to a tacit and naive acquiescence,” he added.
His resignation comes amid mounting backlash from legal and civil society groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which recently relocated its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, citing a breakdown of democratic order and disregard for the rule of law in the state.
Observers say George’s resignation marks a significant escalation in the growing dissent against the controversial Sole Administrator appointment, further intensifying pressure on the state government to reverse what many see as an unconstitutional political move.
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