As Rivers State prepares for a return to democratic governance following months under emergency rule, Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok‑Ete Ibas (rtd), marked the transition with a thanksgiving service held today at the Ecumenical Centre, Port Harcourt.
The event is part of a broader set of activities signaling the handover of power back to elected civilian leadership.
Despite growing public speculation, there has been no official confirmation that either former Governor Nyesom Wike or current Governor-elect Siminalayi Fubara deliberately shunned the event.
Invitations to the service were extended to a wide range of stakeholders, including permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, heads of security and paramilitary agencies, and business leaders.
This silence has fueled rumors online and in political circles, particularly given the complex political dynamics between the two prominent figures. Wike, now a Federal Capital Territory Minister, has had a strained relationship with Fubara since the latter assumed the governorship following Wike’s exit from office in 2023.
Yet, as of this report, no credible source has reported that either men was invited and declined to attend, nor has there been any public statement from their camps confirming or denying their presence at the service.
Observers note that absence from such a significant symbolic event could be interpreted politically, but without verified reports, claims of a deliberate snub remain speculative.
The thanksgiving service marks a key moment in the transitional process as Rivers State exits months of federal emergency rule. Admiral Ibas, appointed as sole administrator during the interim period, is expected to formally hand over power in the coming days.