PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Ibok-Ete Ibas, sole administrator of Rivers State, has said he has delivered on President Bola Tinubu’s directive to restore “full democratic governance” to the state, following the conclusion of local government elections across all 23 council areas.
Ibas made the remarks on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the presentation of the election report by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The polls, held on Saturday, August 30, 2025, saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) secure chairmanship victories in 20 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in three.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilise the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance,” Ibas said in a statement released by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo.
“With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given.”
He added that his administration would review RSIEC’s report and issue an official government white paper.
Mike Odey, chairman of RSIEC, said the report provides a detailed account of the elections.
“The report highlights our modest achievements, our challenges, and provides key recommendations that will strengthen the future,” he said, commending Rivers residents for their peaceful participation.
The polls came against the backdrop of political upheaval earlier this year.
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state assembly for six months.
The president appointed Ibas, a retired naval chief, as sole administrator to steer the state through the crisis.
The emergency rule is scheduled to expire on Thursday, September 18, 2025, raising anticipation about the return of suspended state officials and the next phase of political stability in the oil-rich region.
For now, Ibas has positioned the conduct of the local government polls as evidence that Rivers has been steered back to democratic order under his stewardship.
