JUST IN: PRESIDENT TINUBU SWEARS IN IBAS AS RIVERS SOLE ADMINISTRATOR

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in the new Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), into office at the State House, Abuja.

Cablenews24 reports that the ceremony which took place in the President’s office was witnessed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The President performed the swearing in some minutes before 3 pm.

It would be recalled that Tinubu, on Tuesday night, 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 period of six months.

In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure.

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

As part of the directive, the President also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025, and I so do.

“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Sole Administrator of Rivers State

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate”, the President said.

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