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Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, retd, the only administrator of Rivers State, was seen on Wednesday in the Presidential Villa, where he had a private meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Recall how Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas to lead Rivers State’s affairs for six months after declaring a state of emergency.

At approximately 12:48 p.m. local time, Ibas reached the Presidential Villa’s forecourt.

Tinubu used the big stick to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing section 305 of the Constitution. This effectively suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Tinubu justified his actions in the national broadcast by pointing to the negative role that the state’s political unrest was playing.

He justified the unusual measure he had to implement by pointing to security dangers and constitutional violations.

Keep in mind that the power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was at the center of the state’s crisis.

The President’s exact words, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having 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 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025 and I so do.

“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

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