President Bola Tinubu met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, the appointed sole administrator of Rivers State, less than 24 hours after declaring a state of emergency, to discuss the ongoing crisis and the state’s governance.

Ibas, who was named to oversee the state’s affairs, arrived at the Presidential Villa at approximately 12:48 pm (local time) to meet with the president.

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

The decision follows ongoing political instability, constitutional breaches, and escalating security threats in the region, as outlined by the president in a national broadcast.

The crisis in Rivers stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

READ ALSO : Tinubu suspends Fubara, appoints Vice Admiral Ibas as Rivers administrator

This political turmoil has crippled governance in the state, prompting Tinubu to take drastic action.

In his address, Tinubu emphasized that, after careful consideration, the failure of the governor and deputy governor to request a state of emergency necessitated his intervention.

“It has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provisions of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, effective March 18, 2025,” Tinubu said.

As part of his declaration, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibas, who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, to serve as the state’s sole administrator. Ibas will be responsible for managing the state’s affairs until stability is restored.

Tinubu also made clear that the state’s judiciary would remain unaffected by the emergency declaration, ensuring its continued operation in accordance with its constitutional duties.

Crediblenewsng.com