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The Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, has stated that the gazette imposing emergency rule in the state granted the sole administrator “sweeping powers.”
Igbikiowubo issued a warning to supporters of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, urging them to exercise restraint in light of ongoing protests against the state’s sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.).
Speaking to The PUNCH on Tuesday, Igbikiowubo described the continued protests by Fubara’s supporters as a test of Ibas’s resolve.
However, he emphasised that the sole administrator had chosen to exercise restraint rather than use the broad powers granted to him by the gazette.
President Bola Tinubu had on March 18 imposed a state of emergency on Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy,Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the state lawmakers for six months.
He then appointed Ibas to run the state during the six-month period. But the emergency rule declared by the President has been generating controversies, with many pro-Fubara groups staging protest rallies in the state capital, Port Harcourt.
Reacting to the situation on Tuesday, Igbikiowubo said, “The fact that people are able to protest speaks to the administrator’s level of tolerance. If you check the gazette declaring emergency rule, you will see that it grants the administrator sweeping powers. Yes, sweeping powers. But fortunately for Rivers residents, the administrator has exercised restraint.”
He continued, “These protests, for whatever reason, are testing the administrator’s will.
We urge Rivers residents to be restrained. It is important that we allow a cool head to prevail at this time. All hands must be on deck to restore democratic institutions.”
Igbikiowubo stressed that the restoration of institutions in the state will not be achieved through protests, harassment, or attempts to intimidate the administrator. “Such actions are unnecessary,” he added.
When asked if the sole administrator was taking steps to address the concerns of the protesters, Igbikiowubo confirmed that as part of his peace-building efforts, Ibas has been engaging with various stakeholder groups in the state.
“The administrator met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state today (Tuesday). They had lengthy discussions, and the CAN leadership provided advice on the way forward and the things they would like to see done. This meeting took place at the administrator’s initiative, and he is making arrangements to meet with other important stakeholders in the state,” Igbikiowubo said.
According to him, these engagements reflect Ibas’s commitment to restoring democracy in Rivers State.
“This speaks to his preparedness, his mindset. He is fully committed to restoring democracy in Rivers State,” he stated.
When asked about the administrator’s response to the invitation from the House of Representatives, Igbikiowubo gave a brief reply: “No, we don’t have a date yet.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of concerned citizens from Rivers State has called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the declaration of a state of emergency in the state by President Tinubu.
The group condemned the move, labeling it unconstitutional and a grave abuse of executive power.
In a strongly worded open letter addressed to President Tinubu and copied to the National Assembly and international bodies, the group demanded the immediate reversal of the emergency rule and the reinstatement of Governor Fubara, his deputy, Odu, and all suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The letter, which was signed by prominent figures including Donu Kogbara, Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, Dane Ibim Semenitari, Lloyd F. Ukwu (NADECO USA/Project Coordinator), Julie Dyer (Coordinator/Admin), and 19 others, was made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
The signatories accused the President of violating constitutional provisions, particularly Section 305(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines strict criteria for the declaration of a state of emergency.
These include war, external aggression, natural disasters, or a breakdown of public order beyond the capacity of regular law enforcement.
The letter reads in part:“Dear President Tinubu. We, the People of Rivers State and concerned citizens of Nigeria, write to express our utmost outrage and condemnation of your recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of the democratically elected governor, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“This action reflects a blatant disregard for the constitutional rights of the people of Rivers State and is a gross abuse of executive power. It is not only dangerously unconstitutional but also undermines the democratic principles upon which our nation is built.”
The group further described the declaration as a deliberate subversion of the people’s will and a consolidation of power by the federal government.
They demanded a full investigation to identify those responsible for misleading the President and plunging the state into what they called “political uncertainty.”
“We urge you to respect the quasi-autonomy of Rivers State and allow the democratic process to proceed without interference. The people of Rivers State have the right to self-determination and to choose their leaders without external influence,” the group stated.
