The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas has reminded Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) that by the provision of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), he must report to the National Assembly in running the affairs of the oil-rich state.
The Speaker gave the charge in Abuja on Tuesday while inaugurating the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State.
Recall that on 18 March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State, following the political crisis that pitched the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, against the State House of Assembly.
Tinubu suspended both parties for an initial period of six months and appointed Ibas to oversee the running of the state as Sole Administrator; a decision that was approved and ratified by both chambers of the federal parliament.
Inaugurating the 21-man committee on Tuesday, Speaker Abbas urged members to be guided by objectivity, warning that no room exists for bias and partisanship.
He said, “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. “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.”
He recalled in the past the role played by previous assemblies, urging the panel to see their appointment as a call to service.
“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. 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.
