Rivers State Administrator’s No-Show Sparks Protest and NBA Controversy
Rivers State, Nigeria – Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, was anticipated to address the House of Representatives Committee overseeing the state’s administration under emergency rule on Thursday but failed to appear. The Committee Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, held a closed-door session with committee members that lasted approximately 50 minutes, yet he chose not to provide any comments to the media afterwards, leaving journalists feeling frustrated by the lack of transparency.
Despite no official explanation given for Admiral Ibas’s absence, sources suggest that he would meet with the committee on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the National Assembly Complex. His absence may have been related to his participation in a National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
As this political uncertainty unfolded, protests erupted in Rivers State, with hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom marching in support of reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended following the declaration of a state of emergency. The women’s demonstration, led by Felicia Pepple, the President of the Opobo Women Association, began with prayers at King Jaja Monument Square, where they donned black attire as a symbol of mourning and a plea for divine intervention.
With determination, the women marched to the Water Side, chanting, “Bring back our Governor!” and sitting on the ground in protest. Pepple highlighted Governor Fubara’s positive contributions to the state’s development and called on President Bola Tinubu to restore him to power. “We voted for our peaceful and amiable Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; we say no to emergency rule,” she proclaimed, urging citizens across the nation to support their cause against the backdrop of rising hardship in Rivers State.
One protester, Blessing Accra-Jaja, lamented the now-desolate local landmarks, which were once bustling with activity. She urged both the National Assembly Reconciliation Committee and President Tinubu to reinstate Governor Fubara, hoping this would restore stability and revive the community’s vitality.
The Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group echoed similar sentiments, warning that the ongoing emergency rule is unraveling the state’s economy and heightening hardships faced by women, youth, and children. In a prayer rally in Port Harcourt, the group called on the President to lift the state of emergency, reinstate democratic institutions, and return Governor Fubara to his office.
The group’s statement, co-signed by Dr. Vivian Ige-Elenwo and Chikodi Okpara, urged for reconciliation to resolve the political impasse and highlighted the urgent need for actions to revive the economy and improve living standards in Rivers State. While the women expressed their steadfast support for President Tinubu, they firmly demanded justice and the return of their elected governor. The statement also called for improved security in light of recent violent incidents in other states, stressing the importance of sustainable peace for national development.
In a separate development, a coalition of legal professionals known as the Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL) has urged the immediate resignation of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), in addition to the Chairman of the NBA Annual General Conference Organizing Committee, Emeka Obegolu. This call follows controversy regarding a ₦300 million payment allegedly made to the NBA from the Rivers State Government.
Despite the NBA relocating its 2025 Annual General Conference to Enugu, it maintains that the ₦300 million was a “gift” from the Rivers State Government. PILL President Abdul Mahmud condemned the NBA leadership, asserting that their actions compromised the integrity of the association. He called for the return of the funds and immediate resignations to restore the NBA’s credibility.
“The NBA cannot proclaim to be a guardian of public morality while engaging in conduct devoid of those very standards,” Mahmud stated. He emphasized that their calls for resignation are not punitive but necessary for organizational reform.
PILL also criticized the lack of transparency surrounding this transaction, noting that it became apparent not through NBA announcements but through disclosures by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. “This revelation underscores deeper issues of principle, integrity, and the essence of the Nigerian Bar Association,” Mahmud concluded, emphasizing the need for immediate accountability and organizational rejuvenation within the NBA.
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