The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) has commended President Bola Tinubu for his ‘timely’ and ‘reassuring’ intervention in the political crisis that rocked the state earlier this year.
At the grand finale of the 25th anniversary of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday, Ibas said that the President’s decisive actions restored order and strengthened governance in the state.
‘Let me express our sincere appreciation to His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, for his unwavering commitment to peace and stability in Rivers State and the broader Niger Delta.
‘His intervention in restoring order and governance in the state was timely, firm, and deeply reassuring. Mr President continues to demonstrate strong political will for regional development, economic equity, and national cohesion. We are indeed grateful’, Ibas said.
The oil-rich state had plunged into political crisis following a fallout between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The rift led to chaos in the state Assembly and tension in the state.
In response, President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in March, suspending Fubara his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the parliament, and appointing Ibas.
The move sparked both praise and legal backlash.
In June, Fubara and Wike resolved their rift after a peace meeting with President Tinubu, pledging to work together to restore stability in Rivers State.
They were later seen at a public gathering after the peace talks.
Reflecting on the commission’s journey, Ibas said that the NDDC had grown into a ‘beacon of regional integration and intervention’, and had contributed significantly to bridging infrastructure gaps, improving livelihoods, and supporting community aspirations across the Niger Delta.
‘As host state to the headquarters of this very important Commission, and a principal stakeholder in its work, Rivers State acknowledges a unique relationship with the NDDC.
‘Our state has been both a contributor and beneficiary, from road construction and rural education to youth empowerment, water, and health projects. The impact of these efforts across the length and breadth of our state cannot be denied’, he noted.
Ibas further called for collaboration to expand interventions into critical areas such as sports development, institutionalised skills training for youths, and exploring the region’s potential in the blue economy.
‘We must begin to move our attention—not necessarily away from the construction of roads and bridges—but by keying into the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, Bola Tinubu.
‘I am of the firm belief that the Niger Delta region, through collaboration with the NDDC, can comfortably catalyse over half of this target simply by exploiting the potential of our blue economy’, he said.
