President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State.
The ceremony took place at the State House in Abuja, with top government officials, including Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, in attendance.
The swearing-in happened just before 3 p.m., following Tinubu’s announcement of a state of emergency in Rivers State the night before.
The declaration led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In his national address, Tinubu cited political instability, constitutional violations, and security concerns as the reasons for the decision.
The crisis in the state has been fueled by a prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
To restore order, Tinubu appointed Ibas, who previously served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, to oversee governance in the state. The judicial arm of the government remains unaffected by the suspension.
Leave a Reply