Tinubu reportedly meets Ibas at Aso Rock

Ibok-Ete Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a retired Vice Admiral, was reportedly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday where he met with President Bola Tinubu.

Punch reports that Ibas was received at Aso Rock in the company of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede.

Ibas, who relinquished his position on September 17 after six months of overseeing the state, reportedly arrived at the Villa around 6 p.m. before being ushered into the meeting by Edun and Olukoyede.

His visit came just three days after he rejected calls by the Rivers State House of Assembly to probe expenditures during his tenure.

Earlier on Wednesday, Edun had been seen at the State House. He later returned carrying a file before joining the meeting.

The development follows President Tinubu’s decision last week to lift the state of emergency imposed in Rivers State, restoring full civilian rule after six months of direct federal administration.

In a statement issued last Wednesday, Tinubu directed Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended when the emergency proclamation took effect, to resume office on Thursday, September 18, alongside his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” Tinubu said.

“This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.”

He further announced that the emergency would end at midnight on Wednesday.

“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today.

“The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025,” Tinubu stated.