Rivers State: Tinubu summons Ibas over N254bn spending controversy

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday met with outgoing Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), at the Aso Villa Rock Villa in Abuja.

IDOMA VOICE reports that Ibas arrived at the Villa around 5:50 pm, dressed in brown native attire. He was accompanied by Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. Observers noted that shortly after the meeting began, Edun briefly left and returned holding a file.

The meeting comes days after Ibas concluded his six-month tenure on September 17, following President Tinubu’s directive for the reinstatement of the suspended Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state House of Assembly.

The Rivers House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has announced plans to investigate the state’s finances during Ibas’ administration. The resolution, passed during the House’s first plenary session since reinstatement, seeks to examine “what transpired during the emergency rule regarding spending from the consolidated revenue fund for contract awards and other expenditures.”

Ibas had previously dismissed any probe into the state’s expenditures under his tenure, calling it a “fool’s errand.” It was reported that between March and August 2025, Rivers State received at least ₦254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee while he was sole administrator.