Tinubu Meets Rivers State Administrator Ibas After Emergency Declaration

Just a day after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, the newly appointed sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.

Ibas arrived at the Presidential Villa at 12:48 pm local time for the meeting.

On Tuesday, Tinubu declared the state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period. In a national broadcast, Tinubu explained that the decision was due to prolonged political instability, constitutional violations, and security concerns.

The political crisis, which has disrupted governance in the oil-rich state, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

As part of his intervention, Tinubu appointed Ibas as the administrator to manage the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas, who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, will oversee the state’s governance.

In his broadcast, Tinubu stated, “Having carefully evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, and with both the governor and deputy governor failing to request my intervention as required by the Constitution, I have invoked Section 305 to declare a state of emergency with effect from March 18, 2025.”

He continued, “The suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and members of the state assembly will last for six months. In the meantime, I have appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as the Administrator to manage the affairs of the state in the interest of its people. This declaration does not affect the judiciary, which will continue to operate as mandated by the Constitution.”