BREAKING: Tinubu Installs Ibas as Rivers Sole Administrator Amid Political Turmoil

The sole administrator of Rivers State Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), has been sworn in by President Bola Tinubu.

Around 3:30 p.m., Tinubu swore Ibas into office at the State House in Abuja.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation, and Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the President’s Principal Secretary, all attended the brief event.

Local time, Ibas reached the Presidential Villa at around 12:48 p.m.

Tinubu proclaimed a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday evening, suspending all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, along with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.

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Tinubu justified the exceptional move in a nationwide broadcast by pointing to security dangers, constitutional violations, and protracted political instability.

A power battle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is the cause of the crisis that has halted administration in the oil-rich state.

The President also designated Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the only administrator to manage the state’s activities until things return to normal as part of the decree. Ibas worked under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2021 as the Chief of Naval Staff.

Tinubu announced, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State has failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, 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.

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“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.

“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. 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.”

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