JUST IN: Tinubu’s Sole Administrator Sacks All Political Appointees in Rivers State

In a sweeping political shake-up, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the Sole Administrator imposed by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State, has suspended all political officeholders in the state. The directive affects key officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, and heads of boards, agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals. Special advisers, special assistants, and senior special assistants are also impacted by the order.

The announcement, issued through the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator on Wednesday, instructed affected officials to immediately hand over their duties to the highest-ranking civil servants in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies. If no permanent secretary is available, the most senior director or head of administration is to take charge. The suspension takes immediate effect from March 26, 2025.

This mass removal follows an earlier directive requiring all 23 local government councils in Rivers State to submit detailed reports on their activities, staffing, and revenue sources. That order, contained in a leaked memo from the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Dame Dr. Itong Awani, mandated all Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to provide these reports by the same deadline.

The memo, titled *”Submission of Report of the Activities of Your Councils,”* demanded a comprehensive breakdown of council functions, staff payroll, revenue streams, ongoing and completed projects over the past two years, and key achievements and challenges. The urgency of the directive has sparked speculation that the federal government is tightening its grip on Rivers State’s political and financial structures.

Rivers State has been at the centre of an intense power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former ally, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The feud, initially over political appointments and control of state resources, escalated when lawmakers loyal to Wike attempted to remove Fubara from office. Despite a peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in late 2023, tensions have continued to simmer.

The crisis took a dramatic turn in recent weeks when the federal government declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing security concerns. That decision stripped Governor Fubara of executive powers and led to the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibas as the state’s Sole Administrator.

This latest purge of political appointees underscores what analysts see as an ongoing federal takeover of Rivers State, a vital oil-rich state. Beyond political restructuring, many believe these moves are aimed at securing full federal control over the state’s financial resources.