The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State has rescheduled its interactive session with the state’s Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.).
On Wednesday, the committee directed Ibas to appear before it for a “comprehensive interactive session” on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
According to a statement released by House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the committee asked the Administrator to appear before it on April 17 at 4pm.
He said the change in time followed a formal request from Ibas.
“The Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight has received a formal request from the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to reschedule the interactive session initially set for today, April 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM.
“The Committee has acknowledged the request and is in the process of coordinating a new date for the session, and will, in the spirit of transparent and effective oversight, promptly inform the public once the rescheduled date is confirmed,” the statement read.
On March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu imposed an emergency rule on oil-rich Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
The President immediately nominated Ibas as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months.
The President relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation. The section interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger, disaster or terrorist attacks in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
In about 48 hours, the National Assembly ratified the president’s emergency rule decision despite stiff opposition to the move.
The suspension of Fubara and other democratically elected representatives was expressly rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, and groups including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Atedo Peterside, Nasir El-Rufai, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), among others.
The last time a president declared an emergency rule in Nigeria was on May 14, 2013, when former President Goodluck Jonathan imposed similar measures in the insurgency-hit northeast.
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