Ibas Rejects Rivers Assembly’s Move to Probe Six-Month Spending

Rivers Assembly Plans Probe of Ibas’ Six-Month Administration

The immediate past Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), is at loggerheads with the Rivers State House of Assembly over plans to probe the state’s expenditure during his six-month tenure under emergency rule.

Ibas ceased to be administrator on September 17, 2025, when President Bola Tinubu directed suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state Assembly members to return to office after six months of suspension.

Findings revealed Rivers State received at least N254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025. This was based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and FAAC meeting documents.

• March: N44.66 billion
• April: N44.42 billion
• May: N42.80 billion
• June: N42.30 billion
• July: N38.42 billion
• August: N41.76 billion

Total allocations over six months averaged N42.40 billion monthly. If September followed the same trend, inflows would have reached nearly N297 billion.

The 13% oil derivation remained Rivers State’s largest income source, providing N133.24 billion (52.4% of total FAAC allocations) between March and August. In March alone, derivation hit N25.29 billion, compared to a statutory allocation of just N5.14 billion.

VAT receipts contributed N107.78 billion (42.4% of FAAC allocations), cushioning heavy debt servicing deductions totaling N26.31 billion during the same period.

Despite the large allocations, Rivers State has not published its 2025 Budget Implementation Report. This statutory document should detail revenues, internally generated revenue (IGR), and expenditure patterns.

Without it, residents and civil society groups cannot track how billions were spent on capital projects, salaries, pensions, and recurrent costs.

Rivers State endured nearly two years of political crisis stemming from a power struggle between former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor Siminalayi Fubara. President Tinubu declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, suspending the governor, his deputy, and the Assembly.

The National Assembly endorsed Tinubu’s proclamation two days later, despite criticism. Civil society leaders and 11 PDP governors challenged the move at the Supreme Court (Case No. SC/CV/329/2025).

Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Rivers State, Enefaa Georgewill, said the sole administrator’s management of public funds was questionable, given stalled major projects like the Assembly Complex.

“We will be calling on the Rivers State Governor to set up a panel of inquiry to ascertain how much was received from federal allocation and IGR, and how it was expended. We suspect corruption.” – Enefaa Georgewill

Emma Obe, spokesperson for the Civil Liberties Organisation, described the emergency government as illegal, saying the 2025 budget bypassed public hearings and other constitutional processes.

Reacting to the Assembly’s move, Ibas stated that lawmakers lacked the authority to investigate him since they did not appoint him. He stressed that his appointment and supervision came from the President and the National Assembly.

“When you say they were going to probe the tenure of the administrator, was it the Assembly that appointed the administrator? The administrator acted for and on behalf of the President. Probing me amounts to probing the President and National Assembly.” – Hector Igbikiowubu, Senior Special Adviser on Media to Ibas

Ibas dismissed the probe as a “fool’s errand” but acknowledged that lawmakers have resumed their functions after a long break and may feel obliged to act.

Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara resumed duties and urged Rivers people to remain steadfast in prayers. Attending a thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, Fubara credited prayers and intercessions for his strength during the crisis.

He reaffirmed his dedication to serving Rivers people, emphasizing peace as key to unity and development. His remarks coincided with the International Day of Peace.