The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.), has been issued a seven-day ultimatum to publicly declare his assets.

A Civil Society Organization, Coalition of Conscientious Citizens (3Cs), gave the ultimatum at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

New Telegraph recalls that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, citing concerns over the political crisis in the state.

The President accused Governor Sim Fubara of demolishing the State House of Assembly building and subsequently suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected lawmakers for six months.

In their place, Vice Admiral Ibas was appointed as Sole Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.

However, Tinubu’s decision has faced heavy criticism, with many questioning the legality and necessity of imposing emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

Speaking on Sunday, the coalition insisted that Ibas must comply with Section 185 (1) of the Constitution, which requires individuals elected to the Office of Governor to declare their assets and liabilities before assuming office.

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Dr Gabriel Nnaji, the Executive Director of 3Cs, warned that Ibas’ refusal to declare his assets could lead to self-enrichment at the expense of Rivers people.

The coalition further alleged that Rivers State’s coffers have been depleted within two weeks of the Sole Administrator’s tenure.

*“Our concerns have been heightened by reports suggesting that the state’s treasury has been bled dry within just two weeks of Ibas being in office.

“It is especially concerning how quickly the withheld local government allocations were released, despite the absence of any judicial ruling overturning their suspension.

“There are also indications that Governor Fubara’s political appointees were suspended to prevent them from witnessing the industrial-scale looting of state resources under the Sole Administrator.”

The coalition has vowed to take legal action against Ibas if he fails to declare his assets within seven days.

*“Given that Vice Admiral Ibas was not elected by the people of Rivers State but appointed by fiat, there is an extra burden on him to declare his assets publicly.

“We are giving Vice Admiral Ibas seven days from today to publicly declare his assets, failing which we shall activate legal processes to compel him to do so.

“We are also placing him on notice that the Coalition of Conscientious Citizens (3Cs) will monitor his tenure closely and ensure that any misuse of Rivers State’s resources will attract legal consequences,”* the statement concluded.

With tensions still high in Rivers State, the call for transparency and accountability continues to grow, as civil society groups and political stakeholders push back against the emergency rule imposed by the Federal Government.