…Appoints Retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Administrator
In a dramatic turn of events, President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the prolonged political crisis and the alleged failure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to restore order.
The President made this announcement during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, expressing deep concerns over the continued instability in the oil-rich state.
Tinubu directly blamed Fubara for exacerbating the crisis, accusing him of demolishing the State Assembly complex and neglecting its reconstruction for the past 15 months.
He stated that despite several interventions by his office and other key stakeholders, the political turmoil in the state had only worsened, leading to the breakdown of governance.
The President further accused Fubara of deliberately crippling the legislative arm of government, rendering the state’s law-making process nonfunctional. He also referenced alarming security reports from the region, particularly incidents of pipeline vandalism, which he claimed the governor had failed to address.
"The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of pipeline vandalism by some militants, without the governor taking any action to curtail them," Tinubu revealed during his address.
In response to the deteriorating situation, the President announced the immediate deployment of security forces to safeguard lives, property, and critical national infrastructure, particularly the state’s oil pipelines.
"With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution," Tinubu declared.
As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu announced the appointment of Retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas to take over the administrative functions of Rivers State, effectively sidelining Governor Fubara’s authority.
The declaration of a state of emergency marks a significant escalation in the power struggle gripping Rivers State, with political analysts warning of potential legal and political ramifications.
Fubara and his allies are yet to respond to the development, but tensions remain high as Rivers State braces for what could be a prolonged period of federal intervention.