The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), has declared that he has fulfilled the mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu to restore democratic governance in the state.
Ibas made this known at Government House, Port Harcourt, during the formal presentation of the report on the recently concluded local government elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The administrator recalled that President Tinubu had directed him on March 18, 2025, to stabilize Rivers State, revive its institutions, and return it to full democratic governance at the grassroots level.
He said the successful conduct of elections and the swearing-in of elected chairmen and councillors across all 23 local government areas marked the achievement of that mandate.
“With the conduct of the elections and the inauguration of leaders at the grassroots, I can confidently say we have delivered on the President’s directive,” Ibas stated.
He commended RSIEC for conducting what he described as a credible and transparent election, noting that the process was free of harassment and gave voters the opportunity to freely express their choices.
RSIEC Chairman, Dr. Mike Odey, hailed the exercise as a historic milestone, emphasizing that the election was organized, coordinated, and completed within just 30 days — a feat he described as unprecedented in Nigerian electoral history.
The Sole Administrator further assured that the government would carefully review the RSIEC report and issue a white paper with recommendations aimed at strengthening the conduct of future elections in Rivers State.
He also expressed gratitude to his team, security agencies, and state officials for their collective effort in delivering a peaceful and successful electoral process.
