Pentouch 
President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with key government officials in attendance, including Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and Presidential Principal Secretary Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
President Tinubu’s decision to appoint a sole administrator follows his declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, 18,March 2025. The move led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The political crisis in Rivers State has been brewing for months, fueled by a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The conflict has led to divisions within the state’s government, including the defection of 27 lawmakers from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), further destabilizing governance in the oil-rich state.
In a national broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure, invoking Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution to justify the declaration.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) is a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His appointment is seen as an effort to restore order and stability in Rivers State, with Tinubu emphasizing that his role is temporary and aimed at ensuring governance continues uninterrupted.
However, the decision has sparked mixed reactions across the country, with critics arguing that the suspension of elected officials is unconstitutional and amounts to an assault on democracy.
Former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and several other political figures have called on the National Assembly, governors, and stakeholders to reject what they describe as illegality.
The situation remains tense as Nigerians await further legislative actions from the House of Representatives and Senate, which have yet to deliberate on the president’s proclamation.
