President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.), the sole administrator of Rivers State under the emergency rule, to prepare comprehensive handover notes as Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly prepare to resume office.
Reliable sources confirmed that Tinubu gave the instruction during a closed-door meeting with Ibas at the Presidential Villa last week. The directive signals the end of the six-month emergency rule imposed on Rivers State on March 18, 2025.
The handover notes are expected to capture details of the funds inherited from Governor Fubara’s administration, revenues generated during the interim administration, expenditures, and completed projects. This move ensures transparency as democratic governance returns to the state.
Plans to extend the emergency rule by three months, which would have delayed Fubara’s return until January 2026, have collapsed following resistance from influential figures in Abuja. Among those pushing against the extension were political leaders who insisted that democratic structures be restored without delay.
As it stands, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member Rivers State House of Assembly are scheduled to resume their duties on September 18, 2025.
The development marks a decisive step by the Federal Government to restore stability in Rivers, following months of political tension and debate over the state’s governance.
