President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), the newly appointed sole administrator of Rivers State, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting comes less than 24 hours after the president declared a state of emergency in the state.
Ibas arrived at the Villa at approximately 12:48 p.m. (local time) following his appointment to oversee the state’s affairs in the wake of the political crisis that led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.
During a national address on Tuesday, Tinubu cited political instability, constitutional violations, and security concerns as justification for the emergency measure.
The ongoing power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has severely disrupted governance in the oil-rich state.
As part of his directive, Tinubu assigned Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, to take charge until stability is restored.
Explaining his decision, Tinubu stated: “Having carefully assessed the political situation in Rivers State, and considering that the governor and deputy governor have failed to request a proclamation from me as required under Section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I find it necessary to invoke Section 305 to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, effective March 18, 2025.”
“With this declaration, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are hereby suspended for an initial six-month period.”
“To ensure effective governance, I appoint Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as Administrator of Rivers State in the best interest of its people.
However, the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue its constitutional duties.”
More updates to follow…
