Nearly six months after the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State, concerns are mounting over the conduct of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March.
The proclamation, which suspended the governor, State House of Assembly and all elected officials except the judiciary, was intended to tackle insecurity and restore peace. However, many residents say it has instead deepened political instability and crippled governance.
A stakeholder in the state, Magnus Ichechi, warned that the prolonged emergency rule is crippling economic activities. “The continuity of emergency rule in Rivers State is crumbling the economy,” he said.
Since assuming office, Vice Admiral Ibas has dissolved key state institutions, including the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the Civil Service Commission, education boards, health agencies, the Internal Revenue Board, and several governing councils of tertiary institutions. These moves have drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning whether they were necessary or politically motivated.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, sidelined by the proclamation, initially urged supporters to remain calm, believing the intervention would be temporary. A public appearance alongside his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, briefly raised hopes of reconciliation. But instead, Ibas consolidated power, appointing controversial figures and bypassing established procedures.
One of his most disputed actions was the nomination of a Cross River indigene as Chairman of RSIEC, a decision widely condemned as unlawful. He also forwarded the state’s 2025 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly through the Presidency, sidelining the state legislature.
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