Crisis and Command: Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas and the Emergency Governance of Rivers State

Rivers State Administrator , Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas 

Turbulence and Transition: Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas and the Emergency Rule in Rivers State

The political terrain of Rivers State in 2025 was marked by deep fissures and high-stakes maneuvering, culminating in a six-month emergency rule that reshaped governance and ignited fierce debate across Nigeria.

At the heart of this upheaval stood Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, appointed as Sole Administrator following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on March 18.

The decision, endorsed by both chambers of the National Assembly, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state legislature, citing prolonged political instability and a breakdown of public trust.

Rivers State had been embroiled in nearly two years of political discord, largely fueled by a power struggle between former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Fubara. The impasse paralyzed governance, prompting Tinubu to intervene with what he described as a stabilizing measure. Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, was tasked with restoring order, re-establishing democratic institutions, and laying the groundwork for reconciliation.

Throughout his tenure, Ibas maintained that the emergency rule was not a choice but a necessity. Speaking at a public lecture themed “Democracy and Good Governance,” he reflected on the challenges faced and the resilience of Rivers people. He emphasized that peace and security were prerequisites for any meaningful progress, and credited his administration with conducting peaceful local government elections on August 30, which saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) win 20 seats and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secure three. These elections, he argued, marked a return to democratic order and fulfilled the mandate given to him by the president.

Despite these claims, opposition parties and civil society organizations were vocally critical. The PDP labeled the emergency rule unconstitutional and a violation of democratic norms, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) dismissed it as futile. The Labour Party alleged that the move was politically motivated to protect the interests of Tinubu and Wike. Groups like the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and the Ijaw Youth Council accused Ibas’s administration of weakening state institutions and mismanaging resources, calling for investigations by anti-graft agencies.

Ibas remained defiant in the face of these criticisms. At a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, he declared that his administration had laid the foundation for peace and reconciliation. He urged political actors to prioritize the prosperity of Rivers State over personal ambitions and called on citizens to recommit to tolerance and collective progress.

As Governor Fubara prepared to return to office on September 18, the state stood at a crossroads. The emergency rule had undeniably altered the political landscape, leaving behind a legacy of both stabilization and controversy. Whether the foundations laid by Ibas will endure or unravel under renewed democratic governance remains a question that only time, and the people of Rivers State, can answer.