Port Harcourt, Rivers State – Mr. Goodluck Iheamnacho, the Sole Administrator for Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, has resigned from his position, less than three months after his appointment. His resignation, tendered on June 20, comes amidst a political vacuum in the state following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025, and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency.
Mr. Iheamnacho was appointed by Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, the state’s Sole Administrator, on April 9, 2025, and officially sworn in on April 11, serving a tenure of 70 days. In his resignation letter addressed to Vice Admiral Ibas, and obtained by Africa Update, Mr. Iheamnacho cited a personal decision to return to the private sector as the reason for his departure.
“Sequel to the above subject matter; I humbly write to your noble office to convey to you my resignation as the Administrator of Ahoada-East LGA. My decision is informed by my desire to return back to the private sector,” the letter stated. He also expressed gratitude: “My sincere gratitude goes to the government of Rivers State and the good people of Ahoada-East for finding me worthy to serve as Administrator of Ahoada-East LGA from April 11, 2025, to June 20, 2025,” the letter read.
While Mr. Iheamnacho attributes his resignation to a return to private business, speculation is rife among Ahoada East indigenes. Some suggest that he was pressured to resign due to non-compliance with “the powers that be” in the state, while others claim he recognized a lack of support for his leadership from both local residents and the wider Rivers State populace.
Mr. Iheamnacho was among the 23 sole administrators appointed to oversee local government councils after the Supreme Court sacked the LGA Chairmen, whose elections were a product of the contentious 2024 State budget. These appointments were made as the Ibas-led administration opted for appointed administrators rather than conducting fresh elections.
His resignation marks the first recorded departure among the newly appointed administrators and raises immediate questions regarding the stability and future direction of local government administration under the current emergency rule in Rivers State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Government has not issued an official statement regarding this development. However, political analysts suggest that Mr. Iheamnacho’s resignation might strategically position him to contest the upcoming council elections in the state, especially since the Senate Committee on Rivers State Emergency Rule confirmed the appointment of the chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) just days prior.
