Groups Criticize Ibas for Firing Fubara’s Appointees.

The Ijaw Youths Council, the Ijaw National Congress and the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council have expressed their disapproval of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (ret.), the sole administrator of the state, for his decision to suspend appointees of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

IREPORT247NEW reports that Ibok-Ete Ibas, who serves as the sole administrator of Rivers State, has taken immediate action to suspend all political appointees and office holders in the state.

According to a statement that was released on Wednesday March 26, the Chief of Staff to the Administrator stated that the decision was made in accordance with the authority that President Bola Tinubu has delegated to Ibas.

The Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, chairpersons, and members of boards, agencies, commissions, and parastatals, as well as all Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants, are among those who are impacted by this particular situation.

“This suspension takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The affected officers are to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their MDAs.”

In a statement issued by Maobuye Obu, Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide on Thursday March 27, the group voiced its worries over the developments in Rivers, claiming that the goal of those involved was to steal from the state.

It reads, “The latest announcement by the Rivers State sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) suspending statutory commissions and boards with clear tenures in the state is an affront on the rights of the people and nothing short of a full-blown military dictatorship in action.

“This reckless move, executed under the guise of presidential authority, is a desperate attempt to remove all possible checks and balances to facilitate the looting of Rivers State’s resources.

“It is now beyond doubt that the administrator is merely a puppet executing the agenda of former Governor Nyesom Wike, who remains hell-bent on controlling the state and draining its wealth.

“By suspending the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, commissioners, board members, and special advisers, the administrator has effectively crippled the state’s democratic governance, leaving Rivers State at the mercy of a few handpicked loyalists willing to do Wike’s bidding.

“This action has grave security implications. By creating disaffection and sidelining legitimate government officials, the administrator is fueling political instability and pushing Rivers State towards crisis.

“The people of Rivers State will not be deceived—this is not about governance; it is about consolidating power to continue the reckless looting of the state’s treasury.

“We categorically condemn this dictatorial action and call on all Rivers people to stand against this blatant abuse of power.

“The state belongs to the people, not to a cabal of political opportunists seeking to milk it dry. Democracy must be restored, and Rivers people must not be silenced.

“We demand an immediate reversal of this illegal suspension and a return to democratic governance. Rivers State must not be turned into the personal estate of a single individual and his cronies.”

Also the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Professor Benjamin Okaba, stated that Ibas’s action was unlawful, just like his subsequent appointment.

Okaba said, “It is all one component of multiple fractions on our constitution. The constitution does not provide for sole administrators or even the suspension of a legitimately elected governor.

“Section 308 of our constitution is very clear and those conditions were never met. So whatever he (Ibas) is doing is an extension of illegality. His position is illegal and whatever actions he’s taking is illegal, it’s punitive.

“So, suspending the commissioners and even secretary to state government are all playing the script of those who are deliberate on state capture. They want to capture Rivers State and its resources at all cost and this is one of the two options that was available to them.

“Tomorrow the man goes ahead to make further infractions, for us there’s no surprise. He might even set up caretaker committees at the local government level, there’s a possibility.

“Again, the same Supreme Court said you cannot have caretaker local government chairmen. The Supreme Court ruled and the Attorney General  of this Federation acknowledged that ruling because he was even the plaintiff.

“But when it came to the sole administrator being appointed, he now finds justification. So, you can see that it’s not about what is right, it is about how that thing that is right is in my interest even when it’s wrong. It’s not about being wrong but it is all about whether it is in my interest, so it’s all self-serving.

“The entirety is a collaboration of the judiciary, the executive, the legislature, all conniving to to place a dent on our democracy, that’s just all.

“The rule of law is not followed, it is the rule of interest not rule of law and it’s very dangerous, particularly when the Injustice in a nation now wears the mask of the law, it is very dangerous, that’s what we are passing through.

“And you can see the condemnation all over and in the midst of these condemnation, these people are not ashamed of themselves, they are still perpetrating more evil.

“The only hope we have is that in their contradictions, they will contradict themselves and fall at the end of the day.”

Also reacting, Anabs Sara-Igbe, a pioneer spokesman for the Pan Niger Delta Forum and a member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council said, “The Governor made every effort to prevent the budget they didn’t allow him present the budget. Only for you to say you want to impeach him. You went to Court and they argue that the matter has been settled in the Supreme Court.

“The Court said make your case, let other people make their case. That is labour Party versus the defectors. And when the Court admitted all the evidence and ruling will be given on the 16th.

“They came back and said they wanted to impeach him. When they saw that the impeachment process would not go through, and the law says the moment impeachment process fails, it fails forever, they now resorted to the commando style to bring a former military chief to become the governor, which is illegal.

“So, he (Ibas) has no powers to sack commissioners. He also does not have powers to appoint local government administrators.

“And the Supreme Court is very clear. There shouldn’t be administrators for the local government areas. You must be elected. Then the President gave a fiat and they paid the money meant for Rivers State to an illegal sole administrator.

“By that action alone he has challenged the Supreme Court and I expect the Supreme Court to charge him for contempt.

“We have Bola Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Femi Gbajabiamila, the four persons now ruling Nigeria with fiat. And they think they can go away with this. Government go, government come, one day they will be called upon to clear themselves.

“If Mr President has immunity, do the other people also have immunity? So, what he is doing is illegal, unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

“But I advise him (Ibas) as a senior citizen of this country not to dabble himself into something that he cannot come out from. He had a clean slate and retired.

“From information I gathered, they want to empower Wike for six months and allow him to go. By this time you want to conduct local government election.

“Even the local government election cannot work now because the notice is not up to 12 months; 360 days, that’s what the notice says. So, we will look at it and see how these things will play out. But all what they are doing is illegal.

“They are illegality, null and void and of no effect. They will account for everything, every penny.”