President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday swore in Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, former Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. The ceremony took place at the State House in Abuja and was attended by several key figures, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga; and other presidential aides.
This appointment follows President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which he announced in a nationwide address on Tuesday evening. The declaration comes in response to the ongoing political deadlock between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly members, despite the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling. The state of emergency is set to last for six months, with the President citing rising security concerns and political instability as the primary reasons for his intervention.
Vice Admiral Ibas, born on September 27, 1960, has had a distinguished career in the Nigerian Navy. Commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in 1983, he served in various high-ranking naval positions, culminating in his role as Chief of Naval Staff from August 2015 to 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari. After retiring from the Navy, Ibas was appointed as the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana from 2021 to 2023.
In his first statement following the swearing-in, Ibas acknowledged the challenging situation that led to his appointment, noting, “We know the circumstances that brought us here.” He emphasized the immediate need to restore law and order in Rivers State. “For any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers State, maintaining peace, order, security, and stability is the utmost task,” he said.
Ibas assured the public that he would work closely with all relevant stakeholders to bring about peace and stability, both for the people of Rivers State and for the nation as a whole. “I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers state, that is the utmost task that I have to work together with all other stakeholders to ensure that we bring peace, order, and security and stability to the people and government of Rivers State and Nigeria at large,” he concluded.
The appointment of Vice Admiral Ibas marks a pivotal moment in addressing the political crisis in Rivers State, with expectations for him to help restore calm and pave the way for a more stable governance environment.
