President Bola Tinubu is currently in a meeting with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), the newly appointed sole administrator of Rivers State, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. This meeting follows the president’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state less than a day ago.
Ibas arrived at the Villa around 12:48 p.m. after being tasked with overseeing the state’s administration. His appointment came after Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.
In a nationwide address on Tuesday, Tinubu cited persistent political instability, constitutional violations, and security threats as the reasons for his decision. The crisis in Rivers State has been largely attributed to the prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
To restore order, the president appointed Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2021, to manage the state’s affairs temporarily.
Explaining his decision, Tinubu stated: “After thoroughly assessing the political situation in Rivers State, and considering that neither the governor nor his deputy requested federal intervention as required under Section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I have no choice but to invoke Section 305 and declare a state of emergency, effective March 18, 2025.”
“As a result, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”
“To ensure governance continues smoothly, I have appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs in the best interest of Rivers’ residents. However, this declaration does not impact the judiciary, which will continue to operate as mandated by the Constitution.”
More updates will follow as the situation develops.
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