The Federal Government has announced that funds allocated to Rivers State from the Federation Account will be disbursed to the newly appointed Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
This decision was confirmed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
Fagbemi explained that given the extraordinary situation in Rivers State, the Federal Government deems it appropriate to direct the allocation to the state’s new leadership under the appointed Administrator.
“If the Administrator requests the release of funds, it will be granted. The state is currently operating under an exceptional circumstance, and this adjustment aligns with the new governance structure,” Fagbemi stated.
Justification for the State of Emergency
The Attorney-General defended President Tinubu’s decision, asserting that the intervention was necessary to prevent further deterioration of governance in the oil-rich state.
“We are about two years into this administration in the state. When should the President have intervened—when the situation had completely collapsed? I believe the President acted at the right time,” he said.
Fagbemi emphasized that Tinubu had previously attempted to mediate in the escalating crisis by engaging the key political actors, but reconciliation efforts had failed, making the state of emergency inevitable.
Tinubu’s Emergency Declaration and Suspension of Elected Officials
On Tuesday, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats.
As part of this extraordinary measure, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were suspended for an initial six-month period.
During a national broadcast, the President highlighted that the crisis, which had severely hampered governance in the state, stemmed from a prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Despite widespread speculation, the Federal Government clarified that Wike had no direct role in the crisis that led to the emergency declaration.
Appointment of a Sole Administrator
To stabilize the situation, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), former Chief of Naval Staff (2015–2021), as the sole Administrator of Rivers State. The President assured citizens that this move was in their best interest and that governance would continue under the new leadership.
Announcing the decision, Tinubu stated:
“After carefully evaluating the political situation in Rivers State and considering that the Governor and Deputy Governor failed to request federal intervention as required by Section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I am left with no choice but to invoke Section 305 of the Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, effective March 18, 2025.”
“By this declaration, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are suspended for an initial period of six months. In the meantime, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) has been appointed as Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.”
The President further clarified that the judicial arm of Rivers State would not be affected by the emergency declaration and would continue to operate as mandated by the Constitution.
With the new Administrator taking charge, the focus will now be on restoring political stability and ensuring that governance in Rivers State continues smoothly in the coming months.
