Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), has declared that the mandate given to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been “sufficiently achieved,” following the restoration of democratic governance at the grassroots level.
Ibas made the declaration on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the formal presentation of the report of the just concluded local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
He recalled that Tinubu had on March 18, 2025, directed him to stabilise the state, re-establish its institutions, and return Rivers to full democratic governance.
The administrator said the successful conduct of the polls and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors across the 23 local governments had fulfilled that mandate.
“Mr. President’s mandate to me was clear: to stabilise the state, create an enabling environment for the re-establishment of its institutions, and return Rivers State back to full democratic governance. With the successful conduct and swearing-in of local government chairmen and their councils, I believe we have decisively achieved the mandate that we were given,” Ibas stated.
He commended RSIEC for what he described as a credible and transparent election, noting that the exercise was conducted without harassment, and voters freely expressed their choices.
The administrator assured the people that the government would review the RSIEC report and issue a white paper in due course, while also appreciating his team, security agencies, and state officials for their collective effort.
Presenting the report earlier, RSIEC Chairman, Dr Mike Odey, described the election as a “historic achievement” for Rivers and for the country, stressing that it was organised, coordinated, and concluded within 30 days — an unprecedented record in Nigerian electoral history.
“The report highlights our modest achievements, our challenges, and provides key recommendations that will strengthen future elections in Rivers State,” Odey said.
