The Sole Administrator of Rivers state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), on Thursday shunned the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Oversight of the state under the running emergency rule.
The committee which was a fallout of the National Assembly’s approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency rule proclamation at its inaugural meeting on April 16, 2025, disclosed that it had extended an invitation to Ibas for a meeting expected to hold the following day (April 17).
However, few hours to the scheduled meeting time (4pm), Spokesman of the House, Akin Rotimi, pushed out a statement announcing an indefinite postponement of the meeting.
“The Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight has received a formal request from the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to reschedule the interactive session initially set for today (April 17, 2025) at 4:00pm.
“The Committee has acknowledged the request and is in the process of coordinating a new date for the session, and will, in the spirit of transparent and effective oversight, promptly inform the public once the rescheduled date is confirmed,” he said.
On Thursday April 24, the committee headed by Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, issued a notice of the rescheduled meeting to journalists covering the House, slated for 3pm at the Room 301, House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly Complex.
On arrival, reporters were told that the panel’s members were having a closed door meeting, but only to come out about an hour after, and refusing to address the press.
It was not clear if any communication was received from the Sole Administrator, who was reported to have earlier in the day, attended the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.