The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has ordered the immediate suspension of all political appointees and office holders in the state, Okay.ng reports.
The directive, issued via a statement on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, affects a wide range of public officers, including:
- The Secretary to the State Government
- The Chief of Staff
- All Commissioners
- Chairpersons and members of boards, agencies, commissions, and parastatals
- All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants
“This suspension takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025,” the statement reads.
“The affected officers are to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their MDAs. Where there may be no Permanent Secretary, they are to hand over to the most senior director/head of administration.”
The sweeping suspension follows the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, who also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for a six-month period.
Ibas was sworn in as Sole Administrator on March 19, and empowered to take full charge of the state’s governance during the emergency period.
Okay.ng reports that Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, has vowed to restore law, order, and effective governance amid the state’s prolonged political crisis.
