President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday summoned the immediate past Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Ibas, who arrived at about 5:50 pm dressed in brown native attire, was accompanied by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede.

Earlier, Edun had entered the Villa briefly before returning with a file in hand, signaling the seriousness of the meeting. Olukoyede was also spotted around the premises at the time of the closed-door discussions. It is, however, unclear if their presence was directly connected to the Rivers issue.

Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, served as sole administrator of Rivers State for six months following the political crisis that engulfed the state. President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on March 18 after repeated clashes between former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Two days later, the National Assembly endorsed Tinubu’s proclamation, effectively suspending Fubara, his deputy, and the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Ibas assumed office on March 18 and left on September 17 after Tinubu ordered the reinstatement of the elected officials.

His tenure has since come under scrutiny. The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has resolved to probe state expenditure during the six months of emergency rule. The lawmakers said they would examine spending from the consolidated revenue fund, particularly in relation to contract awards and other financial commitments.

According to official records, Rivers State received at least ₦254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025, during Ibas’ administration.

Some stakeholders accused the ex-sole administrator of failing to improve infrastructure in the state despite the huge allocations. Ibas, however, has rejected any probe into his stewardship, insisting he acted within his mandate.

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