With barely two weeks to the end of the six-month State of Emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, the Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas is winding down his tenure and preparing to leave office.

The suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly are expected to return once the emergency period expires.

Concerns had earlier surfaced that Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral, might push for an extension of the emergency rule.

However, sources at the Government House in Port Harcourt dismissed any speculation of an extension.

Speaking last weekend, Ibas pointed to the successful conduct of the recent Local Government elections as evidence that Rivers State was prepared to return to full democratic governance in line with the rest of the country.

He said, “Certainly, all indigene of Rivers State want and deserve grassroots leadership they can call their own. That is what this process represents,”

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“For me, facilitating this foundational tier of democracy is a core objective of my mandate: to put the state back on its stable, democratic path and to empower its people.”

Correspondingly, Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, stated that with the emergency rule set to lapse on September 18, the suspended governor, deputy governor, and state lawmakers “will return to their duties.”

On Wednesday, Ibas met with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, in what sources described as part of wider consultations on the state’s transition.

A Government House source in Port Harcourt also dismissed speculations of an extension, insisting that “There is nothing to suggest any extension at all.”

Residents of Rivers State say ongoing initiatives by the administrator, including the reconstruction of the State House of Assembly complex, signal readiness for the return of the suspended executive and lawmakers.

The complex, which was pulled down by Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the height of his feud with legislators, is currently being rebuilt.

During an inspection visit, Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas described the project as “Strategic” and urged the contractor to expedite work to ensure timely completion

“This project is of strategic importance and we must treat it as such. The people of Rivers State expect results.

“Any further delays will be unacceptable and all hands must be on deck to meet the agreed timeline” he said

Furthermore, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Chief Tony Okocha, has welcomed the expected return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the end of the emergency rule on September 18, pledging the party’s readiness to work with him.

“So it is clear that the Governor, who was suspended for reasons that you and I know, will return to office.

“We are going to co-operate with the Governor when he returns to office. But that co-operation will not take away our rights to criticise the Governor when he does the wrong thing.”

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, dismissed claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara would return to office without real authority, insisting the governor would fully exercise his constitutional powers.

He said: “Those opinions are simplistic and don’t add up. He is going to return to his seat as the governor of Rivers and governor who has constitutional roles to play.

“Beyond the local government elections, it is not cast in stone that the governor after a while cannot make his own appointments.

“He is not under any obligation to run from now till the end with the appointments others have made. These are mere speculations.

“As a Rivers person, I am looking forward to the return of a governor who will perform executive functions for Rivers people and whose responsibility to the people cannot be abridged by anyone.

“Many people are tired of the emergency rule and the turnout was evidence of a support for the governor. But peace has returned.

“Brothers have agreed to work together and the interest of Rivers surpasses that of individuals. And I think we will be able to find our foot in the interest of Rivers and our founding fathers going forward.”