Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), the Rivers State Administrator, has claimed that the mandate entrusted to him by President Bola Tinubu has been “sufficiently achieved,” following the restoration of democratic governance at the grassroots level.
Ibas made the statement on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the formal presentation of the report of the just-concluded local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
He recalled that Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, instructed him to stabilize the state, re-establish its institutions, and return Rivers to full democratic governance.
Ibas stated that the successful conduct of the polls and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors across the 23 local governments had fulfilled that mandate.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilize the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given,” Ibas stated.
He praised the RSIEC for conducting a legitimate and transparent election, stressing that there was no harassment and voters freely expressed their preferences.
The administrator informed the public that the government would evaluate the RSIEC findings and release a white paper in due time, while also praising his team, security agencies, and state authorities for their collaborative efforts.
Dr. Mike Odey, Chairman of the RSIEC, presented the report earlier and praised the election as a “historic achievement” for Rivers and the country, emphasizing that it was organized, coordinated, and completed in 30 days—an unmatched record in Nigerian electoral history.
“The report highlights our modest achievements and our challenges and provides key recommendations that will strengthen future elections in Rivers State,” Odey said.
