A political reckoning looms in Rivers State as the House of Representatives takes decisive action to scrutinize governance under the newly declared State of Emergency.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), the Sole Administrator appointed to oversee the troubled state, has been summoned to appear before the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight for an interactive session scheduled for Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM.
The summons comes just two days after Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, formally inaugurated the committee in response to the National Assembly’s ratification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency proclamation.
Chaired by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, the committee is charged with a critical mandate: to determine the actual conditions in Rivers State since Admiral Ibas assumed control and to enforce robust legislative oversight under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a strongly worded statement, Ihonvbere declared, “This engagement is necessary to ascertain the true state of affairs in Rivers State and ensure that the House remains properly guided in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities in the public interest.”
The session, set to take place in Room 414 of the House of Representatives New Building at the National Assembly Complex, is expected to be a high-stakes interrogation that could shape the trajectory of emergency governance in the state.
The invitation, already acknowledged by the office of the Sole Administrator, signals a deepening of parliamentary scrutiny following growing national concern over the implications of federal intervention in state governance.
According to House Spokesman Rep. Akin Rotimi, Jr., the committee remains fully committed to upholding constitutional integrity. “We are guided by national interest and transparency in every step of this process,” Rotimi affirmed.
With Rivers State under direct federal control and political tensions simmering, Thursday’s session could become a defining moment — both for the embattled state and for how Nigeria navigates constitutional power during times of crisis.
The nation watches.
