The political landscape in Rivers State is heating up as concerns mount over President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint a Sole Administrator, Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas (Rtd), to oversee the state. While the initial justification for the appointment was tied to the alleged vandalism of pipelines, recent developments have cast doubt on this reasoning. Companies responsible for the pipelines have come forward to clarify that there was no such vandalism, directly contradicting the claims that led to the suspension of the elected governor.
The Sole Administrator’s sweeping suspension of key government bodies has raised further questions about the true motives behind the intervention. Among the suspended entities are:
- Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC)
- Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers
- Governing Councils of various Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education
- Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue
- All the Boards and Agencies of Health (Primary Healthcare Board, etc.)
- Primary and Post-Primary Schools Boards
- Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA)
- Rivers State Microfinance Agency (RIMA)
- RISSA, RSBoPP, RSSDA, Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority, and more.
- All the Boards and Agencies of different Ministries, Departments, and Parastatals of the Rivers State Government
His recent project inspections have been limited to construction sites, with no visits to the supposedly bombed pipeline locations, adding fuel to suspicions that the original reason for his appointment was merely a cover-up.
With one month of his six-month tenure already gone, it is becoming clear that the Sole Administrator’s policies and actions suggest he may not be planning to vacate office any time soon. This has led to growing concerns among Rivers residents, who are questioning whether this is part of a larger political strategy by President Tinubu to secure Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election. The fear is that the administrator’s tenure might be extended indefinitely, allowing him to solidify power in the state and undermine the democratic process.
As time ticks on, many are asking why President Tinubu, with his own mandate, would intervene in a state with an elected governor, especially when the justification for the suspension has been proven false. The people of Rivers State are calling for transparency, urging Tinubu to reconsider his actions and reinstate the duly elected governor. There is growing concern that this political maneuvering could be a tactic to ensure that the state remains under his control as the 2027 elections draw closer, raising questions about the fairness and future of democracy in Rivers State.
