The Rivers State House of Assembly and the immediate past state administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), are likely to clash over the handling of the state’s finances during the six-month emergency rule.
Ibas, who governed Rivers State during the emergency period, ceased to be administrator on September 17 following President Bola Tinubu’s directive restoring Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the House of Assembly members to office.
At its first plenary since returning, the House, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resolved to investigate all expenditures made during Ibas’ tenure. Lawmakers said the probe would cover withdrawals from the consolidated revenue fund, contract awards, and other financial commitments executed in the period.
“The purpose is to explore and establish what transpired during the emergency rule with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure,” the House declared in its resolution.
However, reacting to the House of Assembly’s move to probe expenditure under his tenure, Ibas said the lawmakers lacked the power to investigate him, pointing out that they didn’t appoint him as the Administrator of the State.
His Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubu, told newsmen on Sundsy that while it was understandable that, having been away from the business of legislation for a while, the lawmakers were merely trying to make an effort to discharge their functions.
The decision sets the stage for a possible confrontation between the legislature and the former administrator, who was appointed by the federal government to manage the oil-rich state amid its political crisis.
