By Lemmy Ughegbe, Ph.D
Beyond the storms of political intrigue that have swirled around Rivers State in recent months, it may be imperative to dispassionately examine the work undertaken by Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the administrator appointed by President Tinubu in March 2025.
While the declaration of a 90-day state of emergency—with a possible six-month extension if necessary—prompted vigorous debate over democratic norms, it is crucial to assess, on its own merits, the strides made under Ibas’s stewardship in governance, security and socio-economic progress.
When President Bola Tinubu swore in Vice-Admiral Ibas at the State House in Abuja, the mandate was clear: to restore peace, stabilise the polity and prepare Rivers for the eventual return to democratic rule.
In a state long beset by deep political division, he entered office as a relative outsider—albeit one with roots in the Niger Delta—tasked with rebuilding trust between rival factions.
From the outset, Ibas sought to project an inclusive, people-centred administration. Within his first fortnight, he convened a series of town hall meetings across the state, beginning in Omuma Local Government Area, where he reiterated that “security of lives and property remains the administration’s top priority”.
He signalled a shift towards collaborative problem-solving by bringing together traditional rulers, youth groups, women’s organisations, and law enforcement and inviting citizens to contribute directly to policy design and oversight.
Such engagements swiftly generated concrete action: additional police posts were promised for oil-producing communities, critical infrastructure assessments were launched, and protocols to curb land-grabbing and illegal oil bunkering were implemented.
Parallel to community outreach, the Ibas administration moved decisively to shore up the state’s finances, culminating in an unprecedented IGR of N46.5bn last month. Despite allegations—some well-founded, others speculative—regarding non-publication of the first quarter budget performance report, officials have accelerated efforts to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability.
Ibas has invited civil society organisations and labour leaders to participate in budget-tracking committees, a departure from the opacity that characterised past administrations. Although the budget document for January–March 2025 before the State of Emergency was declared remains unpublished at the time of writing, Ibas has publicly assured that quarterly reports will be published within 30 days of each period’s end, which aligns with best practices.
Security, long the albatross around Rivers State’s neck, has seen notable improvement. Under Ibas’s directive, joint task forces comprising federal Rapid Response squads and Rivers State Police have intensified patrols along vulnerable pipelines and creeks.
According to insiders at the Ministry of Energy, oil theft incidents have declined by an estimated 70 per cent since April, a testament to more rigorous intelligence gathering and community-police partnerships.
These efforts have included collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria, which Ibas personally invited to “champion reconciliation” and moral leadership during the emergency rule. By enlisting faith-based organisations, his administration has tapped into existing networks of trust, using churches and mosques as early-warning centres for communal tensions and security threats.
On the economic front, the sole administrator has emphasised the twin goals of sustaining public services and kick-starting stalled projects. In his meetings with the Senate Committee on Works, Ibas underscored the urgency of uninterrupted road construction, port dredging and rural electrification, urging federal legislative backing to unlock funding.
Though contract approvals were temporarily suspended upon his arrival—an anti-corruption measure intended to audit all pending agreements—the process has resumed with stricter due diligence protocols.
Notably, the rehabilitation of the East-West Road corridor, which had languished for years, was re-commissioned in mid-April to improve access to oil terminals and reduce logistics costs for farmers in the hinterland.
In the social sector, Ibas has been equally active. In April, his team launched a state-wide immunisation drive against measles and polio, targeting children under five. The emergency administration has emphasised mobile clinics and outreach to riverine communities, ensuring that health services reach even the most remote villages.
Early reports indicate a 20 per cent uptick in vaccination coverage between March and May—a promising sign in a region historically plagued by preventable outbreaks.
Education has not been neglected. Realising that school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent funding shortfalls left many pupils adrift, the administration announced a conditional scholarship scheme for outstanding students from low-income families.
While full details of the scheme are yet to be published, the move has been welcomed by parent-teacher associations and educational NGOs, many of whom are now partnering with the State Ministry of Education to identify beneficiaries.
A landmark pension reform further illustrates Ibas’s human-centred approach. On 12 May 2025, the state will disburse over N2.8bn to 583 verified retirees, thanks to a seamless electronic payment system that ends years of hardship for pensioners.
Beneficiaries will receive funds directly into their bank accounts—no long queues or arduous verification processes—following an audit personally supervised by the administrator. Pensioners’ groups have hailed this as a “new era of dignified governance,” with many describing it as restoring trust and compassion for those who served the state.
While critics argue that a federal appointee, wielding executive authority over an elected governor and assembly, undermines democratic principles, the people of Rivers—particularly civil servants and ordinary citizens—tired of protracted power struggles, have expressed guarded optimism that a technocratic caretaker, free from partisan entanglements, may deliver basic services more efficiently.
One local journalist observed, “Under Fubara, buses and hospitals ran; under Ibas, at least the halls are open and salaries paid on time.”
Such remarks underscore that for many Rivers people, the daily realities of governance—roads that do not wash away in the rains, lights that do not flicker out before dinner, water that arrives in the taps—matter more than constitutional abstractions.
Indeed, the lone stipulation in Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution that the National Assembly must ratify an emergency declaration was fulfilled in this case, though not without rancorous debate.
The substance of Ibas’s mandate—to restore order where political impasse had paralysed decision-making—has found resonance among those weary of factional gridlock. Now, as he approaches the mid-point of his six-month tenure, it is timely to ask: has he succeeded in rebuilding confidence, or merely papered over deeper divides?
Evidence suggests the former. In Port Harcourt, entrepreneurial activity has shown signs of revival. The Port Harcourt Polo Club’s annual regatta—cancelled in 2023 amid insecurity fears—was reinstated this year, drawing tourists and business delegates from Lagos and Abuja.
New investors have inquired about setting up modular refineries at the Onne Free Trade Zone, encouraged by assurances of stable security and transparent licensing. Equally telling is the relative calm in Ogoniland and Bonny, where long-running communal conflicts have, if not been fully resolved, at least suspended in favour of dialogue tables convened by the administrator’s office and chaired by respected traditional rulers.
Sceptics will point to the unanswered question of what happens when this extraordinary arrangement ends. Will the governor and assembly rosters suspended at the outset be restored intact, or will new political alignments emerge?
And, crucially, will the systems of accountability introduced by Ibas survive the transition back to elective rule? The answers will depend as much on the conduct of political leaders in the coming weeks as on the administrator’s legacy.
For now, however, the glass should be considered half-full rather than half-empty. In a state where political rancour often eclipses policy discourse, Ibas’s pragmatic focus on tangible outcomes is a welcome corrective.
Peace-building efforts with faith communities, revitalised security protocols, a renewed commitment to fiscal transparency and targeted social interventions have all combined to deliver modest but meaningful progress.
Rivers State is not out of the woods. But Ibas has worked remarkably hard to restore peace and stability to governance and create a conducive atmosphere for reconciliation and healing. Despite progress made, the emergency rule—and all its attendant controversies—will leave a mark on the political culture.
Yet, citizens can point to better roads, safer streets, and more reliable public services at the end of this unusual chapter. In that case, history may judge the sole administrator’s tenure more kindly than the hue and cry that greeted his appointment.
In the final analysis, governance is not an abstract contest of legal theories, but the art of improving people’s lives—one repaired bridge, one protected pipeline, one vaccinated child at a time. Under Vice‑Admiral Ibok‑Ete Ibas, that art has, against the odds, begun to take root in Rivers State.
Lemmy Ughegbe, Ph.D, writes from Abuja
Email: lemmyughegbeofficial@gmail.com
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