The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), failed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee overseeing the state’s administration under the emergency rule on Thursday.
The Committee Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, conducted a closed-door session with committee members for about 50 minutes but declined to address the press afterward. Journalists were left disappointed as committee members refused to comment on the matter.
The meeting was attended by prominent lawmakers, including Deputy Chief Whip Ali Isah and the chairpersons of various House committees, including those for Federal Character, Finance, Water Resources, and Health Services.
Although no official reason was given for Admiral Ibas’s absence, a source informed The PUNCH that the Sole Administrator is now scheduled to meet with the committee on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the National Assembly Complex.
It is speculated that his participation in the National Economic Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, could explain his absence.
Meanwhile, protests continued in Rivers State as hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom marched to demand the immediate reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state. The women rejected the appointment of a Sole Administrator to manage the state’s affairs, calling the emergency rule unconstitutional.
Led by the President of the Opobo Women Association, Felicia Pepple, the protest began with a solemn prayer session at King Jaja Monument Square, where the women wore black to seek divine intervention. A sermon delivered by Venerable Michael Dappa inspired the protesters, who then marched to the Water Side, chanting, “Bring back our Governor,” and sat on the ground in protest.
Pepple emphasized the governor’s positive contributions to the state’s development and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate Fubara.
She stated, “We voted for our peaceful and amiable Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; we say no to emergency rule.” Pepple called on Nigerians to support their cause and criticized the hardship faced by the people of Rivers State under the emergency rule.
Resident Blessing Accra-Jaja lamented that the town’s once-bustling landmarks, like King Jaja Monument Square and local hotels, had become deserted. She urged the National Assembly Reconciliation Committee and President Tinubu to reinstate Governor Fubara, hoping it would restore peace and bring back the town’s festive spirit.
The Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group also expressed concern over the ongoing emergency rule, calling on President Tinubu to end the crisis. They warned that the economy of Rivers State was deteriorating, causing hardship for women, youths, and children. In a prayer rally held in Port Harcourt, the group urged the president to lift the emergency rule, restore the state’s democratic institutions, and return Governor Fubara to office.
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