President Bola Tinubu has met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, the newly appointed sole administrator of Rivers State, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This meeting took place hours after Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, leading to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Ibas arrived at the forecourt of Aso Villa around 12:48 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday. His appointment as the sole administrator follows the president’s decision to take extraordinary measures to address the political crisis in Rivers.
In a national address on Tuesday, Tinubu noted that ongoing political instability, constitutional violations, and security concerns had made it necessary to intervene. He stated that the crisis, which has disrupted governance in the oil-rich state, is mainly due to a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The president’s declaration, based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, has placed Rivers State under federal control for an initial period of six months. Tinubu noted, “By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”
He further announced the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas to oversee the state’s affairs, assuring that the judicial arm of the state would continue its operations without interference. “In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State,” Tinubu said.
Ibas, a retired naval officer, previously served as Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His appointment as sole administrator is expected to bring stability to the state as the federal government works towards restoring normalcy.
