Prominent human rights advocate Femi Falana (SAN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to relieve Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) of his position as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, citing a violation of the conditions outlined in the official declaration of emergency rule.
Falana, in a statement on Thursday, pointed to the provisions of the Official Gazette dated March 18, 2025, which outlined the legal framework for the state’s emergency administration. According to the gazette titled ‘State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025’, the sole administrator’s actions are to be guided strictly by regulations issued by the president.
“It is common knowledge that President Bola Tinubu has not issued any Regulation for the operation of the Sole Administrator. But the Sole Administrator has made appointments and removed officials appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara,” Falana stated.
He argued that these actions went beyond the administrator’s legal bounds and amounted to defiance of the president’s authority. “By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment. The Sole Administrator ought to be removed without any further delay,” he added.
President Tinubu appointed Ibas to oversee Rivers State after declaring a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, which also saw the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state assembly. The president cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as his legal basis, noting that escalating political instability required urgent federal intervention.
In light of the controversy, the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State has summoned Ibas for a detailed briefing in Abuja.
Ibas, who hails from Cross River State, previously served as Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff between 2015 and 2021.
