, the Sole Administrator appointed to oversee Rivers State under the current emergency rule, was expected to appear before a House of Representatives committee on Thursday but failed to attend the scheduled meeting.){kind=link}
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the Sole Administrator appointed to oversee Rivers State under the current emergency rule, was expected to appear before a House of Representatives committee on Thursday but failed to attend the scheduled meeting.
Chairman of the committee, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, held a closed-door session with other lawmakers that lasted nearly an hour.
However, he and his colleagues declined to brief the press afterward, leaving journalists without any official explanation for Ibas’s absence.
Present at the meeting were prominent figures including Deputy Chief Whip Ali Isah and heads of several committees—among them Federal Character, Finance, Water Resources, and Health Services.
Though no official reason was given for Ibas’s no-show, a source disclosed that he is now expected to meet with the committee on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the National Assembly Complex.
His participation in a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima may have delayed his appearance.
Meanwhile, the political crisis in Rivers State continues to stir public outrage. On Thursday, hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom staged a peaceful protest demanding the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The protest followed the governor’s suspension after the declaration of emergency rule in the state.
Led by the President of the Opobo Women Association, Felicia Pepple, the demonstrators—dressed in black as a symbol of mourning—gathered at the King Jaja Monument Square for a prayer session before marching to the Waterside, chanting, “Bring back our Governor.”
Pepple praised Governor Fubara’s leadership and development strides, urging President Bola Tinubu to end the emergency rule, which she described as unconstitutional and detrimental to the state’s wellbeing. She appealed for national solidarity in calling for the return of democracy in Rivers.
One resident, Blessing Accra-Jaja, expressed concern over the declining state of the city, lamenting that once-vibrant spots like the King Jaja Monument and local hotels now appear abandoned due to the unrest.
Also weighing in, the Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group held a prayer rally in Port Harcourt, urging President Tinubu to restore democratic governance in the state.
In a joint statement signed by Dr. Vivian Ige-Elenwo and Chikodi Okpara, the group warned that the emergency rule was worsening economic hardship for women, youths, and children in Rivers.
They reiterated their support for President Tinubu but stressed the need for urgent action to end the political standoff and reinstate Governor Fubara.
The statement also called for stronger security measures nationwide, especially in response to recent attacks in Plateau, Benue, and Gombe states, underscoring the broader need for peace and stability across Nigeria.