Falana to Tinubu: Remove Ibas ,Rivers Sole Administrator for Breaching Presidential Orders

Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. Falana accused the retired naval chief of contravening a presidential order outlined in an official government gazette.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Falana emphasized that the Official Gazette dated March 18, 2025, titled State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025, clearly mandated that the Sole Administrator must operate strictly under regulations to be issued by President Tinubu. According to Falana, no such regulations have been issued, yet Ibas has taken actions that exceed his authority.

Appointments and Removals Deepen Legal Crisis

Falana criticized Ibas for making appointments and removing officials previously appointed by the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, despite lacking the constitutional backing to do so. The senior advocate asserted that Ibas’s actions amount to a direct affront to the authority of the President and the Nigerian Constitution.

“By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment,” Falana said. He stressed that such disregard for due process not only delegitimizes Ibas’s tenure but also deepens the already volatile political crisis in Rivers State, thereby necessitating his immediate removal.

Tinubu’s State of Emergency and the Controversial Appointment

President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, following escalating political unrest and violence. Alongside the emergency declaration, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the entire House of Assembly, citing his constitutional powers under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

Tinubu subsequently appointed Vice Admiral Ibas as the Sole Administrator, entrusting him with the responsibility of restoring order. However, Falana and other legal experts have since raised concerns about the constitutional propriety of both the suspension and the appointment, arguing that it creates dangerous precedents for democracy and federalism in Nigeria.

House of Representatives Summons Ibas for Clarification

Adding to the controversy, the Ad-Hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Rivers State summoned Ibas for a “comprehensive interactive session” in Abuja. Lawmakers seek to understand the legal framework under which Ibas has been operating and to assess the situation on the ground in Rivers State.

The committee’s invitation is seen by political observers as a critical move towards ensuring checks and balances, even in a state under emergency rule. It is expected that Ibas will face tough questioning about the scope of his authority, the legality of his recent actions, and whether he has overstepped the bounds of his mandate.

Profile of Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas

Vice Admiral Ibok-ete served as Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 until his retirement in 2021. Born and raised in Cross River State, he had his early education there before embarking on a distinguished military career that spanned decades.

Despite his impressive credentials, critics argue that his appointment as Sole Administrator was politically motivated and lacked sufficient legal grounding. As calls for his removal intensify, attention is now focused on President Tinubu’s next move amid growing legal and political pressure to uphold constitutional principles in Rivers State