The Federal Government announced on Wednesday that the allocation for Rivers State will be handed over to the state’s 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 essential to prevent the state from descending into chaos.
Additionally, the Federal Government clarified that former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, played no part in the political crisis in the state that led to the state of emergency declaration.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, made the statement while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
When asked whether the Federal Government would release the allocation from the federation account to the state, the Minister confirmed that the funds would be made available to the Administrator upon request.
“It would be appropriate for the funds to be released given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the situation,” Fagbemi said.
The AGF also justified President Tinubu’s decision, stressing the necessity of timely intervention.
“We are nearly two years into the administration in the state. At what point should the President have stepped in? Should it have been after everything had collapsed? I don’t think so. The President acted swiftly and has given all parties involved the chance to resolve the situation. Prior to this, he had tried mediation,” he explained.
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 period of six months.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional violations, and security risks as the key reasons for this drastic measure. The ongoing crisis in Rivers State, caused by a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor Wike, has significantly paralyzed governance in the oil-rich state.
As part of the state of emergency, President Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until order is restored. Ibas served as the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his broadcast, Tinubu stated, “After carefully evaluating the political situation in Rivers State and in light of the failure of the Governor and Deputy Governor to request my intervention, I am compelled to invoke section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, and declare a state of emergency in Rivers State effective from March 18, 2025.”
As a result of this declaration, Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are suspended for an initial period of six months. The judicial arm of the state, however, will continue to function under its constitutional mandate.
The President also nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to manage the state’s affairs in the best interest of the people of Rivers State.
More details to follow…
