Tinubu swears-in Rivers Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas as AGF backs FAAC release  

The inauguration was held at the State House  Abuja on Wednesday even as the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, at a State House press briefing, backed the release of Rivers State allocation to the new administration following a state of emergency in the state.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu revealed that his personal efforts to mediate the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State were ignored by the warring factions.

Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in the oil-rich state, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state house of assembly, including other elected officials.

“I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis,” Tinubu stated during the broadcast. 

“And to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the event of the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things,” he said. 

“For anyone to touch these pipelines is not only the enemy of rivers, it’s the enemy of Nigeria. All Nigerians, in all the 36 states share in what comes in from the production of this oil. And I believe that the decision of Mr. President is anchored on the decision of the Supreme Court,” he added. 

He stressed that the inability of those involved, both the House of Assembly and the governor, from being able to create an enabling environment for the people of Rivers to enjoy the dividends of democracy, gave birth to emergency rule.

” If he (Tinubu) had waited maybe a day longer, only God knows what would have followed,” he added. 

The president of the Nigeria Bar Association, Afam Osigwe SAN had called on the National Assembly to reject any unconstitutional attempt to ratify the removal of the Rivers State Governor and other elected officials.

The declaration has sparked mixed reactions across the country.