By Douglas Princemola
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, has demanded full accountability from the state’s former Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, over the expenditure of N254.37 billion received by the state during his six-month tenure.
Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice Admiral Ibas was appointed as Sole Administrator after the suspension of the elected governor. During this period, the state received over N254 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), raising concerns over the lack of transparency and the absence of visible developmental impact across the state.
During plenary, Speaker Amaewhule stated that the Assembly, as the constitutionally empowered body responsible for oversight and accountability, has a responsibility to demand clarity on how public funds were spent. He argued that the people of Rivers State deserve an explanation on the disbursement and utilization of such a significant amount of money, particularly as many critical projects remain abandoned or incomplete.
The Assembly has now passed a resolution summoning Admiral Ibas to appear before it and provide a comprehensive breakdown of the state’s income and expenditure between March and August 2025. Lawmakers are particularly interested in how much was spent on capital projects, payments made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and whether such disbursements were in line with the law, given the absence of legislative appropriation during the emergency administration.
However, aides to the former Sole Administrator have pushed back on the probe. They argue that Ibas was appointed by the President and not the Rivers State Government, and as such, is not answerable to the state legislature. According to them, oversight during that period rests with the federal authorities and not with the State Assembly.
This argument has been met with criticism by both lawmakers and civil society groups, who insist that state resources, irrespective of who governs at any point in time, must remain subject to public scrutiny. Some civil society organizations have already submitted petitions to the National Assembly and anti-corruption agencies, alleging that over N100 billion may have been mismanaged or spent without due process.
The situation is quickly developing into a constitutional test case, potentially defining the limits of legislative authority during periods of emergency rule and clarifying the lines of accountability when executive powers are transferred outside the normal democratic framework.
Despite the resistance, the Rivers State House of Assembly has vowed to continue with the investigation. Speaker Amaewhule maintained that the probe is not politically motivated, but rather a necessary exercise in transparency, governance, and the protection of the people’s commonwealth.
