The River State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd,), was expected to appear before the House of Representatives Committee overseeing the state’s administration under the emergency rule on Thursday but did not attend the meeting.
The Committee Chairman, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, conducted a closed-door session with committee members, lasting about 50 minutes, but declined to speak to the press afterward.
Journalists were left disappointed as the committee members refused to comment.
The meeting included prominent lawmakers such as Deputy Chief Whip, Ali Isah, and the chairpersons of various House committees, including those for Federal Character, Finance, Water Resources, and Health Services.
While no official reason was provided for Admiral Ibas’s absence, a source informed The PUNCH that Ibas will now meet with the committee on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10 am in the National Assembly Complex.
The Sole Administrator’s participation at the National Economic Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, could explain his absence.
Meanwhile, protests continued in Rivers State as hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom marched to demand the immediate reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whose suspension followed the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
