LunagisthubRivers State Purge: Tinubu’s Sole Administrator Suspends All Political Officeholders
In a shocking move, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has suspended all political officeholders in the state. This directive, which takes immediate effect, applies to the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, chairmen, and members of boards, agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals .
The suspension also extends to special advisers, special assistants, and senior special assistants. Affected officials have been ordered to hand over their responsibilities to the highest-ranking civil servants in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies. In the absence of a permanent secretary, the most senior director or head of administration will assume leadership .
This mass suspension follows an earlier directive instructing all 23 local government councils in Rivers State to submit comprehensive reports on their activities, staffing, and sources of revenue. The reports, which were due on March 26, 2025, are seen as part of a broader effort by the federal government to exert control over the state’s political and financial structures .
The move is the latest development in the long-standing political feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former ally, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Despite a peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in late 2023, tensions have persisted, culminating in the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator .
Analysts believe that the suspension of political officeholders may be aimed at securing full federal control over Rivers State’s finances, an oil-rich region with vast economic resources .As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this move will impact the people of Rivers State and the country as a whole.
Lunagisthub
