Tension In Rivers: Ibas Reschedules Crucial Appearance Before Reps Over Emergency Rule Plot

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, failed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee overseeing the state’s emergency administration on Thursday.

Committee Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, held a closed-door meeting with members for nearly 50 minutes but refused to speak with the press afterward. Journalists, eager for updates, were left disappointed as lawmakers remained tight-lipped.

The meeting was attended by key legislators, including Deputy Chief Whip Ali Isah and the heads of several committees—Federal Character, Finance, Water Resources, and Health Services.

Though no official explanation was provided for Admiral Ibas’s absence, a source told The PUNCH that he is now expected to meet with the committee on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10 a.m., at the National Assembly Complex. It is believed that his attendance at the National Economic Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, may have caused the scheduling conflict.

Meanwhile, unrest in Rivers State persists. Hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom staged a protest, demanding the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended following the declaration of emergency rule. The protesters rejected the appointment of a Sole Administrator, describing the emergency rule as unconstitutional.

Led by Opobo Women Association President Felicia Pepple, the protest began with a prayer session at King Jaja Monument Square. Dressed in black, the women prayed for divine intervention. A sermon by Venerable Michael Dappa stirred their spirits before they marched to the Water Side, chanting “Bring back our Governor” and staging a sit-in.

Pepple highlighted Governor Fubara’s role in the state’s progress and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to restore him to office.

“We voted for our peaceful and amiable Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. We reject this emergency rule,” Pepple said, urging Nigerians to support their call for justice. She condemned the worsening conditions faced by residents under the current administration.

Another protester, Blessing Accra-Jaja, lamented the current state of once-lively places like King Jaja Monument Square and local hotels, now deserted. She appealed to the National Assembly’s Reconciliation Committee and the President to reinstate Fubara and restore normalcy and joy to the region.