By Abiola Olawale
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State were absent from the inter-denominational thanksgiving service held on Sunday to mark the end of emergency rule.
The event, organized by the Rivers State Government, served as a farewell for Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), who has overseen the state’s affairs for the past six months.
The Thanksgiving service took place at the Ecumenical Centre on Abonnema Wharf Road in Port Harcourt, commencing at 10 a.m.
Ibas, appointed by President Bola Tinubu following the declaration of a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, was honored as the Special Guest of Honour.
Attendees included permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, heads of security and paramilitary agencies, traditional rulers, board members of governing councils, and captains of industry.
However, Wike and Fubara were both absent from the Thanksgiving service.
Speaking at the interdenominational service as part of transitional activities, Ibas appealed to political stakeholders to put the state’s interest above personal or partisan considerations.
“The seeds of reconciliation have been planted, but they need your deliberate nurture to take root. Rivers State cannot afford another season of division and acrimony. Politics must never be an excuse to destroy the very state we are called to serve.
“By God’s grace and with the support of Mr. President and all of you, we have worked through those difficult days together. Today, we thank God for peace, stability, and the successful conduct of local government elections across the state.
“Let us forgive, let us reconcile, and let us heal. For where there is peace, there is progress, and where there is love, there is prosperity.”
Recall that the emergency rule in Rivers State stemmed from a protracted power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, now serving as FCT Minister.
The conflict escalated in late 2023 when Fubara demolished the Rivers State House of Assembly complex amid disputes over legislative legitimacy.
This led to a political crisis that led to crisis in the governance of the oil-rich state.
In response, Tinubu suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.
Vice Admiral Ibas, a retired Chief of Naval Staff who served from 2015 to 2021 under late President Muhammadu Buhari, was appointed as Sole Administrator to restore stability.
