Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) took oath of office, yesterday, as Sole Administrator of Rivers State for an initial period of six months with a vow to restore law and order.

The former Chief of Naval Staff was sworn into office at about 3pm at the State House, Abuja by President Bola Tinubu at a brief ceremony witnessed by the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi and others.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, Ibas who served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari outlined his immediate priorities for the troubled state. Addressing the expectations placed upon him, he acknowledged the challenging circumstances that led to his appointment, stating: “We know the circumstances that brought us here.

“For any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers State, maintaining peace, order, security, and stability is the utmost task.” He pledged to collaborate with stakeholders to achieve these goals, ensuring stability for both the people of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.

“I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers state, that is the utmost task that I have to work together with all other stakeholders to ensure that we bring peace, order and security and stability to the people and government of River State and Nigeria at large”, he said.

Meanwhile, Fagbemi has alleged that Governor Fubara tele-guided militants to blow up pipelines in the state.

Justifying President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency during a special “Meet the Press” session with State House Correspondents, Fagbemi said if the governor was not culpable, he did not also do anything to dissuade the militants from taking the action against the critical national infrastructure.

“We are in a democracy. There was what I will call telegraphing of the militants, I will say, by the governor. And the reason I said so was when he began, he said oh, he will let them know when it was time to act to the militant.

“So then, there was what I will call telegraphing of the militants, I will say, by the governor. And the reason I said so was when he beacon to them that, oh, he will let them know when it was time to act, to the militant. Let us say it was wrong. Did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. And a week after, they swung into action, you see or witnessed vandalisation of oil pipelines.

“Don’t also forget that before now, that is when this government came into office. Nigeria was producing about 900,000 barrels of oil a day with the efforts and all the ingenuity that the President had, he ensured that the production rose to about 1.15 million liters of barrel per day. That’s about 45% of something increase governors were smiling home at the end of the month with about 60% increase in their take home to their various governors. Then somebody rose or encouraged or became inactive when he was supposed to act. There was not a word dissuading the militants who issued this threat.”

Fagbemi noted that the nation relies almost totally on oil, saying for anyone to touch the pipeline, he is not only an enemy of Rivers but Nigeria.

The AGF cited the Supreme Court’s judgment and the need to protect critical infrastructure as key reasons for this action. He emphasised that Governor Fubara and the state assembly members were suspended due to their failure to maintain a conducive governance environment. Addressing criticisms of haste, the AGF highlighted the dire situation where citizens lived in fear and some lost their lives.

“The second one is the inability of those involved, both the House of Assembly and the governor, from being able to create an enabling environment for the people of Rivers to enjoy the dividends of democracy. Then the third in the series is about the security situation in that place. You know, if he had waited maybe a day longer, only God knows what would have followed. And as a result of that, he came out to say, “I am not only the head of state, I’m commander in chief of the armed forces, and declared a state of emergency.”

Responding to those who said the President’s decision was hasty, Fagbemi said: “I will ask rather rhetorically, when do you think he should have come when everything has collapsed? No, the law envisages that you come in when there is present imminent danger to the security of lives and property. People were killing themselves. It’s no longer news. It’s not a question of making up the story. We all read papers everyday. Those who live there are living in fear. So there is certainly the need to come in. We have about two years into the administration in the state, if he didn’t come in now, when do you think he should come in? Is it when everything has been destroyed? I don’t think so.

“I think the President has acted timeously. He has given opportunity to all the people involved, the parties involved, to make amends, before then he had assembled them, he had tried to mediate. Some said he had no constitutional power after agreeing. And what they agreed to at the meeting were not implemented. So to answer your question, I am certain that the President has acted timeously after giving them enough rope, and as the commander in chief of the armed forces, it was a tough decision for him to make.

“It doesn’t present anybody with joy, to disrupt the flow of democracy or practice it. But the Constitution itself envisages that there may be this type of situation, and that is why it is provided in section 305 of the Constitution that extraordinary situations might arise. This is one of such extraordinary situations.”

The Minister stated that anyone dissatisfied with President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State should direct their grievances to the National Assembly.

Asked if the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers was some sort of compromise to save the governor and his deputy from imprisonment, Fagbami said: “It appears so. Don’t forget, I think yesterday (Tuesday), there was a notice of impeachment from the House of Assembly. If that impeachment had been allowed to take its full course, then the governor would have lost entirely and completely. So in a way, if you say it’s a compromise, I will agree that instead of allowing the impeachment process to continue, and which in the end, would have seen both the Governor and the deputy governor out of office and would have been out for the entirety of the four year term with the remainder of what it we have. We are one year and nine months now in office, leaving a balance of two years and three months. So, if normalcy returns, Fubara Sim may come in. But for now, well, maybe it’s a compromise. I will agree.

When reminded that many feel President Tinubu was playing to Wike’s playbook, he asked whether the FCT Minister was responsible for ordering the demolition of the House of Assembly or advising the governor not to present his budget to the legislature, or discouraging him from seeking legislative approval for commissioner nominees.

Fagbemi clarified that the Supreme Court’s findings did not implicate the FCT Minister in the entire matter.

“There are occasions when, especially when it comes to national use, we have to come out plainly. And sincerely. Where do you put the Minister of FCT in this case? Was he the one who asked for the demolition of the House of Assembly? Was he the one who said the governor should not present his budget to the House of Assembly? Was he the one who advised the governor not to go through the House of Assembly for purposes of ratifying the commissioner nominees? I don’t know. Because if you want to look at a case, you look at the facts that have been presented, the Supreme Court made these critical findings. The FCT minister did not feature, whatever the situation, assuming he would have featured, maybe on the side of the legislator.”

The AGF called for patriotism from all parties involved in the Rivers State political crisis stressing that prioritising the entity Nigeria is most crucial.

Asked if the newly appointed administrator of River State can request for the released or seized funds, he said the request would be in order for smooth running of the State.

“Extraordinary situation has arisen in River State when the administrator comes, he may request for this fund, and to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund, because the situation of extraordinary requires the event of extraordinary situation that has brought them out of the normal situation of things.”

The AGF said the ball is now in the court of the National Assembly who he said could reverse the suspensions by denying it the two-thirds majority to ratify the action.

The Sun Nigeria