ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) from his position as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, citing a breach of the presidential order guiding his role.
Falana, in a statement issued on Thursday, accused the retired naval officer of defying the conditions set out in the Official Gazette dated March 18, 2025, titled “State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025.”
According to the senior advocate, the gazette explicitly states that the sole administrator “shall operate on the basis of such Regulations that may, from time to time, be issued by me (Tinubu).
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“It is common knowledge that President Bola Tinubu has not issued any Regulation for the operation of the Sole Administrator.
“But, the Sole Administrator has made appointments and removed officials appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara,” Falana stated.
Channels Television reports that he argued that by acting without any formal regulation from the President, Ibas had not only exceeded his mandate but also disrespected the orders of the President
“By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment. The Sole Administrator ought to be removed without any further delay,” Falana declared.
Recall that president Tinubu had appointed Vice Admiral Ibas as the sole administrator on March 18, 2025, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing rising political instability.
The proclamation also saw the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The president invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to justify the move, stating he could not stand by as the political crisis in the state escalated further.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State has summoned Vice Admiral Ibas for a “comprehensive interactive session” in Abuja to explain his actions and governance style since taking office.
Vice Admiral Ibas, a native of Cross River State, served as Chief of Naval Staff between 2015 and 2021.
His recent decisions since assuming the role in Rivers have drawn increasing criticism from legal experts, civil society groups, and political observers.