President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, a move that follows the controversial declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
The brief swearing-in ceremony took place on Wednesday after Ibas held a meeting with the president at the State House. His appointment comes just a day after Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast, in which he announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Defending his decision, Tinubu cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that the escalating political crisis in Rivers required urgent federal intervention.
The suspension of the state’s elected leaders has sparked widespread condemnation from key political figures, legal experts, and civil society groups. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, senior lawyer Femi Falana, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and several others have criticized the move, calling it unconstitutional and undemocratic.
However, the decision has found support among members of the pro-Nyesom Wike faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule. They argue that Fubara’s actions were in violation of a Supreme Court ruling and claim the emergency rule is necessary to restore order in the state.
Ibas, who previously served as Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, hails from Cross River State. His military career began at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979, where he trained before steadily rising through the ranks to become a top naval officer. He is also a distinguished member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
His service was recognized in 2022 when former President Muhammadu Buhari conferred upon him the national honor of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
As the newly appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibas now faces the critical task of navigating the political crisis while ensuring stability in the state.
