By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday summoned Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State, to the Aso Villa. Ibas, who governed the state during its six-month state of emergency, arrived at the presidential villa shortly before the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukayede, signaling a high-level meeting.
The summons comes just days after the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resolved to investigate the state’s expenditure during the emergency rule. The House stated its intention to “explore the process of knowing what transpired… with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure.”
Ibas served as the sole administrator of Rivers State from March 18 to September 17, following President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency. During his tenure, the state received at least N254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
The former administrator has reportedly rejected the House of Assembly’s decision to probe his spending. The meeting at the Aso Villa, which included the Minister of Finance and the EFCC Chairman, suggests that the federal government is taking the matter seriously and may be seeking to address the controversy surrounding the state’s finances during the period of emergency rule.