ABUJA – The Federal Government announced on Wednesday that the allocation for Rivers State will be released to the Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.).
The government also emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State was timely and aimed at preventing a potential crisis in the state.
Additionally, the government clarified that the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is not involved in the political unrest in Rivers State that led to the state of emergency declaration.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, made this known during a press briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
When asked whether the Federal Government would release funds from the federation account to the state given the recent developments, the Minister stated that if the administrator requests it, the funds will be made available to him.
He further justified the President’s decision to declare a state of emergency, noting, “We are two years into the administration in the state. When should the President have acted? Should he wait until everything is destroyed? I believe the President acted promptly. He gave all parties involved the opportunity to resolve the issues. Before this, he had attempted to mediate.”
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period. In a national address, the President cited ongoing political instability, constitutional violations, and security threats as the reasons behind the decision.
The crisis, which has disrupted governance in the oil-rich state, is rooted in a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of his declaration, President Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs until stability is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his statement, President Tinubu said, “After careful consideration and assessment of the political situation in Rivers State, and given that the Governor and Deputy Governor failed to request a proclamation from me as required under section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution, I have found it necessary to invoke section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State effective from March 18, 2025.
“As a result of this declaration, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are suspended for an initial six months. During this period, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) is appointed as Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for the benefit of the people of Rivers State. It is important to note that this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which will continue to operate under its constitutional mandate.”
Source: Vanguard