President Tinubu has directed Rivers State Administrator to prepare handover ahead of Fubara’s return.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive to the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-ette Ibas (rtd.), to prepare a detailed handover report summarizing his six-month emergency administration, ahead of the return of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member House of Assembly on September 18, 2025.
The instruction came following a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa last Wednesday, which focused on ensuring a smooth transition back to elected officials. The handover note is expected to comprehensively outline all funds inherited from the Fubara administration, revenue collected during Ibas’s tenure, expenditures, and projects executed under his leadership.
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The report will serve as a critical reference for the federal government in lifting the emergency rule and restoring democratic governance in Rivers State.
Earlier attempts by some members of the National Assembly to extend Ibas’s tenure by three months—ostensibly to complete projects such as the reconstruction of the House of Assembly complex, worker verification exercises, and installation of government equipment—were blocked. Had the extension succeeded, Governor Fubara and other officials would have returned in January 2026.
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike opposed the proposed extension, stressing that the emergency rule must end on September 18, a position corroborated by Rivers APC Chairman Chief Tony Okocha.
Governor Fubara, who is currently in London with his family, is expected to return to Rivers State shortly and will receive a list of political appointees, including commissioners, who will work alongside him in resuming governance.
This development marks a critical step in the transition back to elected leadership, signaling the federal government’s commitment to restoring democratic structures in Rivers State.
