Rivers Sole Administrator resumes office, reads riot act

•Promises to restore law and order

CHIGOZIE AMADI

Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) says he is in the state to restore law and order.
The Administrator while addressing Rivers people in his maiden statewide broadcast said he was mandated to stabilise the polity and create the necessary conditions to restore full democratic institutions and representation in the state.
Vice Admiral Ibas (Rtd.) made the broadcast shortly after holding a closed door meeting with the Head of Service, Permanent Secretaries, Commissioner of Police, and head of Service Commanders in the state upon resumption of office on Thursday.
He assured that he is coming as a servant of the state, and not as a partisan actor nor as a competitor in the struggles that have brought the state to it’s currently position.
While calling for unity and cooperation of the people to move the state forward once again and reclaim it’s rightful place as the oil and gas capital of Nigeria, the Administrator hinted that the challenges before the state depend on unity and not divisions.
He promised to abide by the rule of law and respect the rights of the people, while warning that he would not tolerate any act of lawlessness from any individual or quarters of the state.
The retired Naval Chief also addressed his plans for Rivers State in the next six months of the emergency rule.
Earlier, while addressing Government House correspondents in Port Harcourt, Ibas said, “You are all aware I just got here. I had to meet with the Head of Service, permanent secretaries and service commanders to get briefings from all of them, and I assure you that all these will be addressed. Port Harcourt is my city, everything appears calm, though I know the situation, but I just want Port Harcourt to get back to where it has always been.”