President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, swore in Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ceremony, which took place in the President’s office shortly before 3 PM, was attended by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, Principal Private Secretary to the President Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga.
On Tuesday night, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six months.
In the national address, Tinubu justified the decision by citing prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security concerns in the state. The crisis, which had stalled governance in the oil-rich region, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the directive, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibas, who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored.
The President emphasized that while the executive and legislative arms of government are suspended, the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to function in accordance with its constitutional mandate.
