President Tinubu Appoints Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator of Rivers State

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as the sole administrator of Rivers State following the declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

The appointment comes as part of Tinubu’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.

Announcing the decision, President Tinubu stated:

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.

For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.”

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR is a retired senior officer of the Nigerian Navy and a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021. Born on September 27, 1960, in Nko, Cross River State, Ibas has had a distinguished military career spanning over four decades.

Ibas began his education at Nko Primary School before completing it at Big Qua Primary School, Calabar, in 1971. He proceeded to the Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar (1972–1976) and later attended the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja (1977–1979) before gaining admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 as part of the 26 Regular Course.

Throughout his military career, Ibas attended prestigious military institutions worldwide, including: Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at INS Venduruthy, India (1983–1984). Primary Pilot Training at 301 Primary Flying Training School, Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna (1986–1987). Amphibious Warfare School, U.S. Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia (1992–1993). Underwater Warfare School, NNS Quorra (1994–1995). National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan (2005–2006), where he earned a Master’s degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan and Harvard Kennedy School, USA (2013).

Vice Admiral Ibas has held numerous leadership positions in the Nigerian Navy, including: Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka (1998–2000). Director, Maritime Warfare, Armed Forces Command & Staff College, Jaji (2009–2010). Naval Provost Marshal (2003–2004). Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command (2013–2014). Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Navy (2014). Group Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited (2014–2015). Chief of Naval Staff (2015–2021).

For his service to Nigeria, Vice Admiral Ibas was honored with the prestigious Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.

He is also a member of professional organizations such as: Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).

Vice Admiral Ibas now faces the challenging task of leading Rivers State through its current political crisis. His military background and experience in crisis management will be crucial in stabilizing governance in the state.

With political tensions running high, his appointment is expected to spark debates on the legality and implications of Tinubu’s decision. Many political figures, including former presidential candidate Peter Obi, have criticized the move as unconstitutional.