Former Sole Administrator of Rivers State under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared State of Emergency, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), has described the move by the State House of Assembly to probe his six-month tenure as a “Fool’s Errand”.
Ibas pointedly said that the State Legislature lacked the constitutional authority to investigate his stewardship as he was not answerable to them in any material particular and given the fact that he was not appointed by the Assembly.
The former Sole Administrator who administered Rivers State from March 19 to September 17, 2025, is believed to have received about N254.37 billion in federal allocations between March and August, outside Internally General Revenue (IGR), of the State.
The Rivers State Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, had during its first plenary last Thursday after six months of inactivity, resolved to scrutinize the State expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, contract awards, and other financial activities under the administration of Ibas.
Speaking through his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubu, the former Sole Administrator emphasised that the Rivers State lawmakers were merely chasing shadows as the Assembly did not appoint him.
In the words of Igbikiowubu; “When you say they are going to probe the tenure of the Administrator, was it the Assembly that appointed him? The last time I checked, the Administrator was appointed by the President and supervised by the National Assembly.
“So, when they say they want to probe the Administrator, it means they are also probing the President and the National Assembly. While the Assembly is free to carry out its function, it must however, recognize its limitations.
“Nobody can stop lawmakers from probing what they perceive to be within their functions, but you and I know that such an enterprise amounts to a fool’s errand,” he said.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike had last week Thursday, when he featured on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’ said there was no need for a probe of Vice Admiral Ibas (retd), saying that there was the need to let go in the spirit of the peace needed in the State.
