Rivers State Government Suspends All Political Appointees and Office Holders

 

The Rivers State Government has announced the suspension of all political office holders and appointees across the state with immediate effect.

The decision was confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, by the Chief of Staff to the Administrator of Rivers State, citing executive powers conferred on the Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The suspension applies to a wide range of government officials, including:

• The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)
• The Chief of Staff
• All Honourable Commissioners
• Chairmen and Members of Boards, Councils of Agencies, Commissions, Institutions, and Parastatals
• All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants

Suspended officials have been directed to hand over their responsibilities to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). In cases where a Permanent Secretary is not available, the most senior Director or Head of Administration is to assume control.

The state government has not provided further details on the reason for this sweeping decision or the next steps regarding governance in the state. However, this move is expected to have significant political and administrative implications.