On Wednesday, September 3, President Bola Tinubu held a private discussion with the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting comes just two weeks before the scheduled expiration of the six-month emergency rule imposed on Rivers State, which is set to end on September 18, 2025.
The emergency administration was instituted on March 18 following a political crisis that rocked the state. In a nationwide broadcast at the time, President Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu, and the entire State House of Assembly.
Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the President declared a state of emergency, saying it was necessary to forestall a breakdown of law and order, ensure governance continuity, and restore stability in the oil-rich state.
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Vice Admiral Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, was appointed to oversee the affairs of the state during the emergency period, with a specific mandate to stabilise political tensions and maintain public order.
Though details of the closed-door meeting were not made public, sources within the Presidency suggest it was part of consultations on the path forward as the emergency rule nears its constitutional limit.
There is growing national interest in the outcome, particularly whether President Tinubu will reinstate the suspended officials, extend the emergency rule, or take a different political route to ensure long-term stability in Rivers State.
