Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, gave a scorecard of his winding-up tenure on Tuesday, declaring that he restored stability in the state under extraordinary circumstances within the last six months.
He spoke during a Public Lecture titled ‘Good Governance and Democratic Dividends’ delivered by Prof. Abiodun Amuda-Kanmike, SAN, as part of the transition activities held in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Ibas noted especially that the foundation has been laid with the successful conduct of the August 30th local government elections, thus returning democratic rule to the grassroots.
However, he said much still needs to be done to sustain the peace.
He thanked the people of the State for the support and cooperation given to him in the last six months as the State Administrator, insisting that he has achieved the presidential mandate given to him to restore peace and security in Rivers.
Recalling that the Thanksgiving held on Sunday was significant, he said, “It reminded us that without God and the resilience of our people, this journey of my administration would have been impossible.”
He said the public lecture was more than an intellectual exercise, describing it as a covenant renewal with the people of Rivers.
His words, “As a nation, our democracy must deliver, and that governance must always be rooted in service.
“Standing before you, we feel with gratitude and humility; gratitude for the support you gave me as your administrator and humility that I was called to serve in such a defining moment in the history of this great state.
“When we began this assignment on March 18, 2025, our core mandate was to restore peace and stability. By the grace of God and with the cooperation of all stakeholders, we have come this far.”
He continued, “Most significantly was the peacefully conducted local government council elections restored democratic governance to the grassroots, the level of government closest to the people. Emergency rule was never a choice; it was a necessity brought upon us by insecurity, political impasse, and breakdown of trust.
“Yet in hindsight, it offered us enduring lessons that peace is priceless, without security, no other aspiration is possible; that when governance is weakened, opportunism fills the vacuum, endangering lives and livelihoods, and that the indomitable spirit of Rivers people cannot be broken.
“They endured. They persevered and have remained steadfast. The stability we have restored is the foundation upon which democracy is now rebuilt, ” even as he lauds the guest speaker has doing Justice to the topic.
He further said, “Rivers State has been stabilised under extraordinary circumstances; much remains to be done. The foundations have been laid.
“Let’s build on it. Let us prove to the world that Rivers, the Treasure Base of the Nation, can also he the model of good governance in Nigeria.
“My role here is to offer my sincere gratitude to my dear people of Rivers for all that we have worked hard together to achieve in the last six months.
“The support has been most humbling, and I will remain eternally grateful to you all. I plead with you to re-dedicate yourselves to our collective destiny, one ordained by God.
“I charge all of us to place Rivers above personal ambition to commit to tolerance, forgiveness, and reconciliation to consciously work at building trust among each other and to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach households.
Earlier in his goodwill message, Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, said the lecture came at a defining moment of a transition to democratic governance, even as he commended Rivers people for their support and cooperation with the interim administration.
The Guest Lecturer, remarked that as the Ibas-led administration is transiting, it should serve as a period of sober reflection.
He said, ”The case of Rivers should be an example for other states in the country.”
