Many political pundits have asserted that the decision and activities of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral, Ibok-Ete Ibas, in recent times are provocative and deviating from his primary duty of restoring peace in the oil-rich state.

On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly for a period of six months.

Tinubu claimed that the decision was made to bring peace back to the state, which has been experiencing political unrest due to a dispute between the governor and the legislature.

However, Tinubu was being economical with the truth, as he failed to point out Fubara’s issue with his predecessor cum Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Despite the outrage over the declaration of a state of emergency, Tinubu swore in Ibas as the Rivers State Sole Administrator on Wednesday, March 19, at Aso Rock, alongside his Attorney General and Minister of Justice,  Lateef Fagbemi, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and other aides.

Dismantling Fubara’s Structure

Since Ibas’ appointment, he has been systematically and diligently dismantling all the institutions of governance Fubara created in the state.

To consolidate power, the sole administrator appointed a serving Naval Officer, Commodore Aminu Shehu, as his Chief of Staff.

Ibas sacked all political appointees, suspended the heads of all MDAs in the state and approved the reconstitution of boards for various agencies, commissions, and parastatals.

Rather than allow the most senior officials to administer the councils in the interim, Iba also appointed sole administrators to take charge of the 23 local government areas and reconstituted the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) with Michael Odey as Chairman, which violates a Federal High Court order, which restrained him from appointing administrators for the LGAs.

Recall that in July 2024, when the Edo Governor, Monday Okpebholo, suspended all the elected LG chairmen, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, declared it illegal and unconstitutional.

It is thought-provoking and needless for Ibas to sack democratic institutions in the state and create a parallel political structure.

Govt At A Standstill

It is absurd that Ibas asserted that the Supreme Court’s ruling and the lack of an appropriation law necessitated the cancellation of all pending procurements, directing that all affected MDAs refund the tender fees paid by contractors during the period in question.

Having been given all the money accruing to the state government, which was hitherto seized, Ibas is proposing a new budget, a proposition that has alarmed the House of Representatives.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had last week reminded Ibas that, by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he must report to the National Assembly in running the affairs of the oil-rich state.

The Sole Administrator may be acting at the behest of President Tinubu, but at the expense of the citizens, who yearn for the dividends of democracy.

Amidst the current happenings, 11 governors elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have gone to court to challenge Ibas’ appointment.

Does Ibas Have An Agenda In Rivers?

Although Ibas’ responsibility was the restoration of peace, there has not been a serious breach of the peace as such since his appointment.

Niger Delta human rights activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, in an interview with Channels Television, accused Ibas of pouring petrol to the fire President Tinubu sent him to quench in the state.

She said Ibas’s actions in the state were contrary to what the president sent him to do.

Similarly, Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has asked Tinubu to remove Ibas for breaching the presidential order.

The senior advocate argued that the retired naval chief contravened the orders contained in the Official Gazette dated March 18, 2025, and titled, ‘State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025.

Sustainable Way Forward

In an interview with Naija News, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi, stated that political elites should pursue peace between Fubara and Wike, rather than mere talks.

He said, “All that was needed to solve the contrived political crisis would have been for Tinubu to tell his minister to steer clear of Rivers State and allow Fubara to exercise the mandate given to him by the electorate since he has a full-time job in Abuja.

“Nevertheless, I believe Tinubu, who appointed Ibas is watching to see how he is carrying out his responsibilities. What is happening in Rivers state is a case of a fight between two brothers, Nyesom Wike and Sim Fubara. My counsel remains that all political stakeholders should work very hard to reconcile them. Political elites should be concerned about the reconciliation and not putting fire to already tense states by taking sides.

“There is nothing between Fubara and Wike that cannot be resolved. Those who are close to them should advise them to ignore the hurts and come together as brothers, they are both Rivers, and nobody should be more Rivers than the other man or loving of Rivers State than the other.

“I believe the solution to Rivers is embedding an accommodating brotherhood repair between both of them. Any other thing people are saying without gearing towards peace are mere talks. Tinubu has declared a state of emergency, and he is the only one who has the power to remove it.”

While Tinubu blamed Fubara for all the crisis, Wike, the real villain, is having a ball and boasting he wanted the Governor’s removal but the President saved him.

As the days pass, the responsibility lies with Tinubu to caution Ibas and provide him with a framework for exercising his powers and responsibilities in restoring peace in Rivers State.