The sole administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) was spotted at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, where he met with the President, Bola Tinubu behind closed doors.
Recall that upon the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, Tinubu had announced Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) to take charge of affairs in the state for six months.
Ibas arrived at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa at about 12:48 pm.
Citing section 305 of the Constitution, Tinubu wielded the big stick, declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, by implication, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In the national broadcast, Tinubu hinged his actions on the ugly dimension the political instability in the state was assuming.
He cited constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure he had to enforce.
Recall that the crisis in the State revolved around power play between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The President’s exact words, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having 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.
“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.”
