President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, following a brief meeting with the president on Wednesday afternoon.
Ibas’ appointment comes after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, citing the escalating political situation in the state. As part of this emergency rule, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were suspended.
The president based his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, emphasizing that the worsening situation required immediate action to prevent further escalation.
While the suspension of the democratically elected officials has drawn criticism from various legal experts, political figures, and groups including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Labour Party (LP), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) it has been welcomed by the pro-Nyesom Wike faction of the Rivers Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule. This faction supports the emergency rule, accusing Fubara of violating a Supreme Court ruling related to the state’s political crisis.
Ibas, who served as the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, is a retired naval officer from Cross River State. He had a distinguished career in the Nigerian Navy, rising through the ranks to become the Chief of Naval Staff. Ibas was also conferred with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
With his appointment, Ibas will now oversee the administration of Rivers State under the state of emergency, as the region navigates its political challenges.
