President Bola Tinubu is meeting with the sole administrator he appointed to run the affairs of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, barely 24 hours after he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Ibas arrived in the Presidential Villa’s courtyard around 12:48 p.m. (local time).
On Tuesday, Tinubu imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
The situation, which had halted government in the oil-rich state, is the result of a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the directive, the president appointed Ibas as the only administrator to supervise the state’s business until normalcy is restored.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited persistent political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the imposition of a state of emergency.
The situation, which had truncated governance in the oil-rich state, is the result of a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the directive, the president designated Ibas as the only administrator to supervise the state’s business until normalcy is restored.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 until 2021.
Tinubu announced, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State have 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.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) 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 its constitutional mandate.”
