The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, on Friday declared that he has “sufficiently achieved” the mandate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave him in March, saying the restoration of democratic governance at the grassroots level marked the fulfilment of that directive.
Ibas made the announcement at Government House, Port Harcourt, while receiving the comprehensive report of the recently concluded local government elections from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
He said the peaceful conduct of the polls and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors across all 23 local government areas demonstrated that the presidential assignment had been met.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilise the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance,” Ibas said, according to a statement from Government House.
He added: “With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved that mandate.”
RSIEC Hails The Exercise As Historic
Dr. Mike Odey, chairman of RSIEC, described the exercise as a “historic achievement,” telling the Sole Administrator that the commission’s report documents a process that—he said—was free of harassment and allowed voters to freely choose their leaders. RSIEC presented a step-by-step account from notices of election to collation and declaration of results.
Ibas praised RSIEC and security agencies for what he called a credible, transparent process, and he thanked residents for participating peacefully.
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He also insisted that the administration had provided the necessary security architecture and civic space for the polls to succeed.
How The Mandate Began
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and the state House of Assembly, and appointing Vice Admiral Ibas as Sole Administrator to restore order and address political instability in the oil-producing state. Ibas was sworn in shortly after the declaration.
The presidential directive tasked the administrator with stabilising governance, restoring institutions, and preparing the state for a return to democratic rule at all levels.
Ibas’ team says the completion of the local government polls and the swearing-in of elected officials fulfill those objectives.
Reactions Mixed As Politics Linger
Observers and political actors reacted cautiously to Ibas’ declaration. Supporters of the federal intervention hailed the smooth conduct of the local polls as a step toward normalcy, while critics warned that the underlying political tensions that prompted the emergency declaration remain unresolved and require broader political dialogue.
Some civil society groups welcomed the return of locally elected councils but called for continued oversight to ensure that the councils can operate independently and that the full restoration of democratic norms extends beyond ceremony to practice.
