BREAKING: Tinubu appoints former naval chief Ibas as administrator of Rivers State

BREAKING: Tinubu appoints former naval chief Ibas as administrator of Rivers State

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday nominated a former chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) as the administrator of Rivers State.

This followed the suspension of Governor Simimilayi Fubara and his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly for six months.

President Tinubu had in a nationwide address on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.

The development followed the breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.

Fubara and members of the Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads since October 2023.

The problem started when unknown persons set fire on the Assembly complex in October 2023 in response to attempts by the lawmakers to impeach Fubara, a one-time ally of the minister.

Ibas was appointed the chief of naval staff by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

He retired from service alongside three other service chiefs in 2021.