President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, attended by key government officials, including Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and Presidential Principal Secretary Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Tinubu’s decision to appoint Ibas follows his declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, which led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
The crisis in Rivers has been ongoing for months, largely driven by a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The situation escalated further after 27 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), deepening the political instability in the oil-rich state.
In a national address, Tinubu justified the emergency measure by citing prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security concerns. He invoked Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution to back his decision.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari, has been appointed to restore stability in Rivers State. Tinubu emphasized that his appointment is temporary and aimed at maintaining governance.
However, the decision has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that suspending elected officials undermines democracy. Former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other political figures have called on the National Assembly and other stakeholders to challenge what they describe as an unconstitutional movmovel
The situation remains fluid as Nigerians await legislative responses from the Senate and House of Representatives.