Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), has declared mission accomplished, bragging that President Bola Tinubu’s assignment to him has been “sufficiently achieved” with democracy restored at the grassroots.
Ibas made the claim on Friday inside Government House, Port Harcourt, as he received the official report of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on the hotly-watched local government elections.
He recalled Tinubu’s March 18, 2025 order — stabilise Rivers, rebuild its battered institutions, and return full democratic rule. With polls concluded and 23 council bosses sworn in, Ibas says the box has been ticked.
“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. 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,” Ibas stated.
The retired naval chief applauded RSIEC for what he branded a credible, transparent, intimidation-free exercise. He vowed that government would review the report, issue a white paper, and keep the system on track — while hailing security agencies, his team, and state officials for closing ranks to deliver.
Earlier, RSIEC Chairman, Dr Mike Odey, called the poll a “historic achievement” for Rivers and Nigeria, boasting it was conducted, coordinated, and wrapped up in a record-breaking 30 days.
“The report highlights our modest achievements, our challenges, and provides key recommendations that will strengthen future elections in Rivers State,” Odey said.
