President Bola Tinubu has appointed the 22nd Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of Nigeria, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as Administrator for Rivers State, following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state’s House of Assembly.
Tinubu made this appointment during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday amid the political and insecurity crisis in Rivers State.
Declaring, Tinubu assured that the judicial arm of Rivers State would remain unaffected by the suspension and continue to carry out its constitutional duties, noting that Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas will not make any new laws.
Tinubu stated: “In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
“This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.”