President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, following the recent declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
The appointment was formalized on Wednesday afternoon after a brief meeting between Tinubu and Ibas at the Presidential Villa.
Ibas, who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, was named as the state administrator in Tinubu’s nationwide address on Tuesday. The President cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for declaring a state of emergency, pointing to political instability and the need for urgent intervention.
As part of this decision, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been suspended for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu justified the move by stating that the escalating crisis in Rivers had paralyzed governance and posed serious concerns for law and order.
“I cannot stand by and watch the situation continue to deteriorate without taking action,” Tinubu said, referencing the constitutional authority granted to him in times of crisis.
The decision to remove Fubara and other elected officials has sparked strong reactions across the political spectrum.
Several prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and human rights lawyer Femi Falana, have condemned the move as unconstitutional. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also expressed opposition, accusing the President of overstepping his authority and undermining democratic governance.
However, supporters of former Governor Nyesom Wike, particularly the pro-Wike faction of the Rivers State Assembly, have backed the emergency rule. These lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, have accused Fubara of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling, justifying their support for his suspension.
Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, a seasoned naval officer, hails from Cross River State and began his military career at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, eventually serving as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
Ibas is a respected member of both the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). In 2022, he was honored with the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) national award by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
