PORT HARCOURT – In a dramatic twist following a landmark Supreme Court judgment, the Rivers State Government has nullified all ongoing and pending procurement and tender processes across its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The sweeping decision was announced Thursday by Sole Administrator Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas in a special government bulletin signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.
The cancellation, according to Ibas, is a direct compliance with the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Suit No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024—a case that has had wide-reaching implications for the legal and administrative landscape in Rivers State.
“All procurement and tender procedures conducted by MDAs within the affected timeframe are hereby null and void,” Ibas declared, signaling a full reset of the state’s fiscal operations.
As part of the directive, all MDAs that collected tender fees from contractors during the now-cancelled processes are ordered to refund those payments immediately. The move is being seen as a measure to restore legal and procedural order in the state’s governance machinery.
Contractors and stakeholders have been told to await further directives, particularly the official approval of a revised spending plan, which the government says will be communicated in due course.
With this bold move, the Ibas administration signals both its willingness to adhere to judicial authority and its readiness to rebuild Rivers State’s financial protocols from the ground up.
