Role Ibas Is Expected To Play While In Office – Abbas

By Elem Kash

 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen has outlined the role of the Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas. 

The clarification is coming against the backdrop of actions so far taken by Ibas which suggest he may be overreaching him self while in office.

Inaugurating a 21-man committee that will oversee the sole administratorship system Abass stressed,  “It is paramount to note that the current administration in Rivers State is inherently temporary.

“With the suspension of the State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, and the entire House of Assembly, a caretaker administration has been installed under the stewardship of Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.).

“His role is strictly circumscribed, as he is charged with maintaining law and order and ensuring that the basic functions of governance are met only until full democratic governance is restored”

Continuing, the Speaker noted, “The administrator is required to operate with the highest levels of transparency and accountability, reporting directly to the National Assembly on all matters that pertain to the peace, order and good government of the State as prescribed by the Constitution.”

It is not clear if the actions taken by Ibas which most Nigerians, including lawyers, elders, politicians and analysts insist are outside his brief, has the support of the National Assembly.

In a move that some see as an attempt to preserve a place for himself in history, Ibas has ordered the removal of official photographs of a serving Governor from all official places and installed his.

 

Under his watch, a new crop of officials known as administrators of Ministries have been conceived while appointees made by him at the grassroots have gone ahead to pull down billboards containing images of the governor.

But if these actions pale in significance, Ibas has equally dismantled democratic institutions and made appointments that a House of Assembly, in this instance, the National Assembly should ratify.

While anger wells among the Rivers people, Ibas who appears on a mission to create crisis has extended an invitation publicly to Fubara to offer explanations on the appointments he has made while in office.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara who is currently under suspension in rather controversial circumstances is the Governor of Rivers State.

And many here say the ridicule of the symbol of authority of the Rivers people and Rivers democracy may result in far reaching repercussions of utmost care is not taken.

Already, across the nation, Fubara is under pressure not to respond to actions by persons in some quarters that some commentators are referring to on social media and other platforms as “bandits”.

Highlighting the expectations of the House of Representatives while setting up the 21-man committee, Abass stressed: “It is instructive to recall past instances where our nation has faced similar challenges. We witnessed state emergencies in Plateau State in 2004 and Ekiti State in 2006.

“Similarly, in 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States after a series of deadly attacks by terrorists and militant groups.

“In those periods of dire security and governance challenges, the National Assembly assumed a vital role in upholding constitutional order.”

He urged the House Committee to carry out its assignment diligently, saying the National Assembly has in the past come to the rescue of the country in times of trouble such as this.

“When state institutions were suspended, the intervention of the National Assembly ensured continuity in governance.

“Our actions today are grounded in Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which confers upon us the authority to make laws for any state whose elected legislative body is unable to perform its statutory functions”, the Speaker remarked.

“Accordingly, in response to the President’s declaration”, the Speaker charged members of the committee, “and in accordance with our constitutional duty, the Official Gazette of the State of Emergency was duly transmitted to both the House and Senate.

“On 20th March 2025, the chambers deliberated extensively and approved the President’s request with significant amendments designed to reinforce democratic safeguards and ensure robust oversight.

“These resolutions were duly forwarded to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for implementation. The Certified True Copies of this will be made available to this committee.”

Many here hope that the intervention of the House of Representatives will not be coming too late, given the tension which is building up within the State.

Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, a former member of the House of Representatives accused Ibas on Radio Nigeria in Port Harcourt of gradually destabilisating the State and handing over the reins of control to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike.

Also, the former Rivers Commissioner for Youths, Chisom Gbali alleged on Channels Television that monies saved by Governor Siminalayi Fubara were being squandered by Ibas and his cohorts who are purportedly sponsoring stage -managed protests.