BREAKING: Tinubu swears-in Vice Admiral Ibas as Rivers State sole administrator

President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State following the declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at 3:00 pm on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, in the presence of Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and Principal Secretary Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

On Tuesday night, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.

In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the intervention. The crisis in Rivers has been fueled by a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

As part of the emergency directive, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff (2015–2021) under President Muhammadu Buhari, to oversee governance in the state until normalcy is restored.

Speaking on the decision, Tinubu stated:

“It has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from March 18, 2025.

“By this declaration, the Governor, Deputy Governor, and all elected members of the House of Assembly are hereby suspended for six months.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judiciary, which shall continue to function in accordance with its constitutional mandate.”

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