Chief Onueze Okocha, a past president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has warned the Rivers State House of Assembly against launching an inquiry into the tenure of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who served as sole administrator during a brief emergency period in River state.
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, October 6, 2025, Okocha emphasized that lawmakers should prioritize state reconstruction through dedicated legislative efforts. He argued that scrutinizing Ibas’s financial decisions over the six-month emergency rule triggered by President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, would serve no constructive purpose.
Ibas assumed the role in late 2024 to maintain order amid political unrest, vacating it after the suspension was lifted. Since then, various stakeholders have demanded a review of his administration’s expenditures, citing transparency concerns.
However, Okocha dismissed the probe as potentially divisive, likening it to a targeted pursuit. “Ibas was sent by the president to handle a specific crisis; he wasn’t chosen or supervised by the assembly,” Okocha noted. “Dragging him through an investigation now would dishonor his service and disrupt the peace we need.”
As a Rivers native, Okocha called on legislators to drop the idea, allowing democratic processes to flourish without interference. He stressed the importance of fostering cooperation among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to drive progress. “Stability demands unity, not distractions from core responsibilities,” he added.
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Notably, the assembly has not yet responded publicly to these remarks as of October 6, 2025. Okocha, who headed the NBA in the early 2010s, has long advocated for ethical governance in the Niger Delta. His intervention highlights broader debates on federal-state oversight in Nigeria’s anti-corruption landscape, where emergency interventions often spark post-tenure reviews.
It bears mentioning that this call comes amid ongoing efforts to mend political rifts in Rivers, ensuring smooth governance post-crisis.
