By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – Barely 24 hours after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu is holding a crucial meeting with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), the newly appointed sole administrator of the state, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Ibas arrived at the State House at approximately 12:48 p.m., where he is expected to receive a formal briefing from the president regarding his new assignment.
On Tuesday evening, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Citing prolonged political instability, constitutional violations, and security threats, the president said the extraordinary measure was necessary to restore order in the oil-rich state. The crisis has been fueled by an ongoing power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibas (retd.) to oversee the state’s administration until normalcy is restored. Ibas, who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to steer the state through this transitional period.
In his national address, Tinubu explained the rationale behind his decision, stating:
“Having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, and given that the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State 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 to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025.”
He further clarified that the judicial arm of government in Rivers State remains unaffected and will continue to function as mandated by the Constitution.
The ongoing meeting at Aso Villa is expected to outline the framework for Ibas’s administration and the federal government’s next steps in managing the political crisis in the state.
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