The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas is currently attending the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The sole administrator attended the meeting alongside state governors and other members of the NEC who were present at the State House in Abuja.
This marks Ibas’ first NEC meeting since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu in March after the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
On March 18, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing escalating political instability and security concerns. This action led to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
At the same address, President Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibas as the sole administrator of Rivers State.
Ibas, who previously served as Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, was tasked with overseeing the state’s affairs during the emergency period. The President emphasised that while the judiciary would continue its functions, the administrator would not enact new laws but could formulate necessary regulations subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council.
The declaration of emergency rule and the appointment of a sole administrator in Rivers State have sparked legal challenges and debates regarding their constitutionality.
Critics, including the Nigerian Bar Association, argue that such measures contravene the 1999 Constitution, which does not allow elected officials to be suspended during a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, a coalition of women under the banner of Rivers Women United for Sim (RWUS) staged a peaceful gathering in Port Harcourt on Thursday, calling for the restoration of peace in Rivers State and the reinstatement of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The women, who turned out in large numbers, described Rivers as a peaceful state and urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the lingering political crisis.
They called for the reinstatement of all suspended elected officials, insisting that Governor Fubara had committed no wrongdoing to justify his suspension. The group also reaffirmed their unwavering support for the embattled governor.
Women have been protesting and rallying for the reinstatement of Fubara since his suspension in March.
On April 11, a crowd of women flooded the Aba road area of Port Harcourt, demanding the reinstatement of Fubara, and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The protest, which began along the major road, and advanced to the Rivers State Government House, featured placards with bold inscriptions such as “Bring back Fubara”, “Save our democracy”, “Is the law different for Rivers State?”, and “God of justice, arise for Rivers State.”
Chanting songs of solidarity, the women, who described themselves as mothers and wives, appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to lift the suspension on Governor Fubara and reinstate all democratic institutions in the state.
