Tinubu Summons Former Rivers Administrator Ibas to Abuja

• The immediate past sole administrator of Rivers state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, is currently at the state house in Abuja
• Although the reason for his presence at the Aso Villa could not be immediately ascertained, it was gathered that President Bola Tinubu had summoned Ibas
• Ibas, who took over the affairs of the state in March following the suspension of Siminalayi Fubara, had recently handed power back to the governor

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja – President Bola Tinubu has summoned the immediate past Rivers state administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to Aso Villa.

As reported by Vanguard on Wednesday evening, September 24, Ibas, who arrived at the presidential villa at about 5:50 pm clad in brown native attire, was closely followed by Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, and Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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Ibas meets Tinubu in Aso Rock

Nigerian Tribune also noted the development.

Earlier, Edun entered the villa but quickly left, only to return with a file in hand, signaling the seriousness of the meeting.

Ibas served six months as the sole administrator of the oil-rich state. He left office on September 17, following the end of the six-month emergency rule, after the president directed the suspended state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state house of assembly members to return to office.

The Rivers state house of assembly, chaired by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, had, during its first plenary session after the end of emergency rule, stated that it would investigate the state’s expenditure during the six months of emergency rule.

According to the resolutions of the house:

“To explore the process of knowing what transpired during the emergency rule with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure.”

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Tension in Rivers as Ibas, Assembly battle over 6-month spending probe

Ibas had reportedly rejected the decision to probe the state’s expenditure over the last few months under him.

It was gathered that Rivers state received at least N254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025, under the tenure of the former sole administrator.

Read more Rivers state news:

Ibas: EFCC boss goes to Aso Villa

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that EFCC boss Olukoyede was seen at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The anti-graft chief arrived around the same time President Tinubu met with Vice Admiral Ibas (retd).

Although details of the meeting were not made public at the time of filing this report, it is understood that Ibas and Olukoyede’s appearance is connected to the former’s six-month stewardship in Rivers state.

Source: Legit.ng