Ibas makes announcement as Rivers emergency rule nears end
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), has declared that the task given to him by President Bola Tinubu has been completed.
He made the statement at Government House, Port Harcourt, when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) submitted its report on the recently concluded local government elections.
According to him, the peaceful conduct of the polls and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors in all 23 local government areas showed that the presidential order issued to him on March 18, 2025, had been carried out.
He explained that his responsibility was to stabilize the state, restore its institutions, and hand governance back to the people through democratic means, which has now been achieved.
Ibas commended RSIEC for the smooth organization of the elections, describing it as one of the most credible processes the state had seen in years.
He also promised that the government would study the electoral body’s report and release a white paper in due course.
He thanked security agencies, officials, and his team for working together to maintain peace throughout the process.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilize the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved that mandate,” the Administrator stated.
