A planned thanksgiving service by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), has sparked criticism from a political group called Rivers United For Tinubu, which accused him of attempting to “whitewash” his administration amid growing hardship in the state.
Reacting on the issue on Saturday 13 September, 2025, Clifford Amadi-Okanezi, Director of Publicity and Communications for Rivers United for Tinubu 2027, questioned the motive behind the thanksgiving scheduled for Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Ecumenical Centre, Port Harcourt.
The group alleged that local government chairmen recently rejected cheques issued to them after what it described as “unprecedented deductions” from council allocations.
According to the group, over ₦1 billion was deducted per local government during the most recent Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting, amounting to more than ₦23 billion in total. This, it claimed, followed an earlier ₦200 million deduction from council funds in July.
“These actions have left workers and institutions stranded, while governance has ground to a halt at the grassroot.”
Also see: Rivers Set to End Emergency Rule with Thanksgiving Service
The group also faulted Ibas’ announcement of a secretariat renovation project, arguing that no details of the contract sum or bidding process were disclosed. It further questioned his claim of saving ₦5 billion from an ongoing biometric verification exercise, noting that salaries remain unpaid despite the purported savings.
“For the past six months, Rivers people have endured hardship, opacity and questionable financial practices under this sole administration. It is therefore ironic that the same administration now seeks to gather the people for thanksgiving,” Amadi-Okanezi stated.
He added that Rivers people would only give thanks “for the imminent end of this administration and in hope for justice and accountability.”
The group described the thanksgiving as “a mockery of God, democracy, and the people of Rivers State,” vowing that Vice Admiral Ibas and his allies would be remembered on “the ignoble side of history.”
Vice Admiral Ibas has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.
