PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Key political figures in Rivers State, including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, were absent on Sunday at the farewell thanksgiving service for the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
The interdenominational service, held in Port Harcourt as part of transitional activities, marked the end of Ibas’s six-month stewardship.
President Bola Tinubu appointed him on March 18, 2025, after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers amid heightened political tension and militant attacks on oil infrastructure.
The emergency period is scheduled to lapse on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
In his remarks, Ibas urged political actors to put the state’s interest above personal or partisan divisions.
“The seeds of reconciliation have been planted, but they need your deliberate nurture to take root. Rivers State cannot afford another season of division and acrimony. Politics must never be an excuse to destroy the very state we are called to serve,” he said.
Although traditional rulers were largely absent, the service was attended by permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, agency heads, board members, parastatals, and security commanders.
Reflecting on his tenure, the retired naval chief expressed gratitude for the support he received during what he described as “difficult days.”
He said the state had witnessed relative peace and stability, culminating in the conduct of local government elections in all 23 councils.
“By God’s grace and with the support of Mr. President and all of you, we have worked through those difficult days together. Today, we thank God for peace, stability, and the successful conduct of local government elections across the state,” Ibas said.
He also appealed to the youth to reject violence and redirect their energies toward building prosperity, while calling on elders and religious leaders to sustain efforts at reconciliation. “Let us forgive, let us reconcile, and let us heal.
For where there is peace, there is progress, and where there is love, there is prosperity,” he added.
The absence of Wike and Fubara — central figures in the political conflict that triggered federal intervention — underscored the lingering divisions in Rivers politics as the state prepares to transition out of emergency rule later this week.
