President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State. The ceremony took place at the State House in Abuja around 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
The brief event was attended by key government officials, including the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Principal Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Ibas arrived at the Presidential Villa at approximately 12:48 p.m. before the swearing-in.
This development follows President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday night. In a nationwide address, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state’s House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The President cited prolonged political instability, violations of the constitution, and security threats as the reasons for the drastic measure. He stated, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State… it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025, and I so do.”
The crisis in Rivers State has been ongoing for months, primarily due to a political power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The disagreement between both political figures has significantly affected governance in the oil-rich state.
To restore order, Tinubu appointed Ibas as the sole administrator responsible for overseeing the state’s affairs during the emergency period. Ibas, who served as the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to bring stability to the region.
The President clarified that the judiciary in Rivers State would continue functioning as usual. He noted, “For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.”
