Fresh political storms are gathering in Rivers State as opposition parties and civil society groups intensify calls for the probe of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), who served as Sole Administrator during six months of emergency rule.
President Bola Tinubu lifted the emergency decree on Wednesday, reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The governor and his lawmakers resumed office on Thursday, though Fubara’s absence from public view has fuelled speculation about his return.
Controversial suspension and legal battles
Fubara’s suspension on 18 March, alongside his deputy and state lawmakers, was one of the most controversial political decisions of Tinubu’s presidency. Critics argued the president lacked constitutional powers to remove an elected governor, citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires strict procedures — including a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
The Ijaw Youth Council dragged the Federal Government before the ECOWAS Court, while some legal experts accused the Senate of relying on voice votes instead of the mandatory numerical majority. Both the Supreme Court and the regional court are yet to deliver rulings on the matter.
Ibas defends his record
In his farewell lecture titled Good Governance and Democratic Dividends in Port Harcourt, Ibas claimed he restored stability after nearly two years of political turmoil. He pointed to the peaceful conduct of the 30 August local government elections as proof that “peace and stability” had returned under his watch.
The state’s APC spokesperson, Ikenga Chibike, echoed that view, insisting Rivers is now calm.
Opposition demands accountability
Despite these claims, opposition parties — including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC) — have demanded a full audit of Ibas’s stewardship.
ADC state chairman Leader Sampson said Ibas must disclose how Rivers’ finances were managed:
“He needs to tell us the projects he executed, the revenues he received, and what he did with them. If he has nothing to hide, he should give an account,” Sampson told DAILY POST.
PDP chieftain Austin Okai, however, argued that Fubara may lack the political will to launch a probe, describing it as “probing Wike and Tinubu’s government by extension.”
Assembly steps in
In a significant twist, the Rivers House of Assembly, still meeting in temporary quarters after its chamber was demolished earlier this year, has resolved to investigate the state’s finances under Ibas. Speaker Martins Amaewhule presided over Thursday’s plenary, which also urged Fubara to submit commissioner nominees for screening.
As the political dust settles, the question of how state resources were managed during Rivers’ most turbulent six months remains at the heart of public debate.
