KEY POINTS
- ICPC confirms petition over Rivers allocations under Ibas.
- Activist alleges little development despite N283 billion inflows.
- Ibas rejects oversight by Rivers assembly, citing presidency.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has acknowledged receiving a petition that calls for a probe into the financial management of Rivers State under Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), who served as sole administrator until September 18.
Civil rights activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju filed the petition on September 23, urging the ICPC to urgently investigate Ibas’s stewardship of more than N283 billion in federal allocations over a six-month period.
Petition targets Rivers allocations under Ibas
ICPC spokesman Demola Bakare confirmed the commission had received the petition and referred it to its legal department for review. Adeyanju’s complaint alleged that despite inflows of N283.3 billion excluding internally generated revenue. Rivers residents saw no meaningful projects beyond “cosmetic renovations” of the state assembly complex.
Dispute over accountability and oversight
Adeyanju also faulted Ibas’s refusal to recognize the authority of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Ibas had argued that, as a presidential appointee, he was answerable only to the President and the National Assembly. The petition further cited his failure to publish mandatory budget performance reports for the second quarter of 2025.
Tinubu meeting adds political undertone
The petition surfaced days after Ibas held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock, attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun and EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede. Neither the presidency nor Ibas disclosed the meeting’s purpose, but it came three days after he rejected calls from the Rivers assembly to probe his spending.
