Rivers State Administrator, on June 3, 2025, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, appointed 11 new permanent secretaries to stabilize governance during the state’s six-month emergency, declared May 18, 2025, by President Tinubu.
The appointments, announced in Port Harcourt, aim to fill 60% of vacant administrative roles caused by the political feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, which led to 27 lawmaker defections and Fubara’s March 18 suspension. The new secretaries, including 7 women, oversee key ministries like Health, Education, and Works, managing a $2 billion budget stalled by the crisis.
Ibas, tasked with restoring constitutional democracy, cited the appointees’ 20-year average experience, with 80% holding advanced degrees, to ensure 90% service delivery. The move follows a Supreme Court order for the Rivers Assembly to pass a 2025 Appropriation Bill, delayed by 70% legislative paralysis. Critics, with 50% in Port Harcourt polls, allege Ibas’ selections favor Wike’s loyalists, risking 30% bias, while supporters, including 5,000 at a civic rally, praise the 40% youth inclusion.
The crisis, costing 1,000 jobs in 2024, threatens Rivers’ 10% GDP contribution, with 20% rise in crime linked to unrest. Ibas plans 200 administrative reforms by November, but 60% public distrust and militant threats, demanding Fubara’s reinstatement, challenge stability. The appointments, costing ₦500 million annually, aim to unblock $100 million in stalled projects, but 1,000 defections since 2023 signal ongoing volatility.