I have stabilized Rivers state as mandated by the president - Sole Administrator

Sunday, September 14, 2025 -The Rivers State democratic structures which were suspended in the wake of the March 18 declaration of state of emergency are about to be restored and this is official.

An interdenominational church thanksgiving service to herald the process will took place today in Port Harcourt, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika announced yesterday.

Worika invited all critical stakeholders to the service scheduled for the Ecumenical Centre, Abonima Wharf Road, Port Harcourt at 10am.

Those invited are permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, heads of state security, paramilitary agencies, traditional rulers, Chairmen and members of boards, and captains of industries among others

The outgoing Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), will be the Special Guest of Honour.

Ibas had said on Friday that the mandate handed to him by President Bola Tinubu has been “sufficiently achieved,” following the successful restoration of democratic governance at the grassroots level.

“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilize the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance,” he was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Hector Igbikiowubo.

He said:“With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given.”

The state of emergency was declared on March 18 by President Tinubu following months of a running battle that pitched Fubara and his supporters against Wike and his supporters including the majority of the state’s lawmakers.

Three months after the emergency rule went into effect,Tinubu  convened a high-level peace meeting at the State House in Abuja, bringing together key actors in the conflict for a rare face-to-face dialogue.

At the closed-door meeting were Fubara, Wike, suspended Rivers Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and several other lawmakers embroiled in the dispute.

Wike confirmed later that the parties to the Rivers State dispute had settled their differences and machinery put in motion for the restoration of all suspended democratic activities and institutions.