President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. The swearing-in took place Wednesday afternoon after a brief meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Tinubu appointed Ibas on Tuesday during a nationwide broadcast, declaring a state of emergency in the crisis-ridden oil-rich state, and effectively dethroning the Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly.
Why Tinubu Declared Emergency Rule
The President claimed he was acting in accord with powers granted him by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, in circumstances of extraordinary political and security instability.
“I cannot stand by and watch the situation in Rivers escalate without taking action,” Tinubu said in his address.
The power struggle in the state pits the Gov. Fubara against his predecessor and Tinubu’s political ally, Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu’s has drawn widespread criticism from legal experts, political figures, and opposition parties.
Who is Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas?
Vice Admiral Ibas is a retired naval officer who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under immediate -past President Muhammadu Buhari – a period in which there were reports of stolen crude oil from the country.
Like, Comment, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.
Feel free to download and share our Daily Newsletter for Friday, March 14, 2025.