The National Patriotic Front (NPF) has hailed the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), for what it described as "bold and transformative steps" in stabilising the state under emergency rule.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt at the weekend and signed by its President, Marcus Dakas, the group said Ibas had demonstrated uncommon leadership in guiding Rivers through one of its most delicate phases in recent history.
"The National Patriotic Front salutes the courage, clarity and sense of duty that Admiral Ibas has brought to Rivers State. What many thought would be a lost period of drift has become, under his watch, a season of renewal and a rebirth of confidence in governance. His interventions in security, infrastructure and preparations for democratic transition deserve recognition from all Nigerians," Dakas said.
Contrary to fears that emergency rule would worsen instability, the group said the Sole Administrator had succeeded in restoring calm, strengthening institutions, and initiating critical projects reshaping the state's development trajectory.
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According to the statement, security has been the bedrock of Ibas's administration. By instituting a joint security patrol across urban centres and vulnerable communities, he was credited with stemming violent crime and communal unrest.
"The Sole Administrator has succeeded in bringing tremendous peace to Rivers State. Markets are bustling again, businesses are reopening with confidence, and residents are experiencing a sense of safety long absent from their daily lives. This renewed atmosphere is one of the most profound achievements of his administration," Dakas said.
Beyond security, the group commended Ibas for pressing ahead with infrastructural and social investments. It highlighted the reconstruction of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex as symbolic of the return to institutional order, and the completion of the Mother and Child Hospital in Port Harcourt -- set to be integrated into the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital -- as a major step toward improving maternal and child health.
On accountability, the group noted Ibas's scrutiny of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project, where N150 billion was released for dualisation. His insistence on transparency and delivery, it said, was "a refreshing example of governance in Rivers State."
The NPF also welcomed preparations for the August 30, 2025, local government elections, praising Ibas for releasing funds to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RVSIEC).
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"By empowering RVSIEC and fixing a date for grassroots elections, Admiral Ibas has shown his sincerity of purpose. He has no hidden agenda but is only a steward of this transition. His commitment to democratic restoration should reassure Rivers people and silence the cynics," Dakas added.
The group recalled that the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State, led by House Leader Professor Julius Ihonvbere, had also commended Ibas's performance during a recent oversight visit.
"Emergencies are often associated with despair, but in Rivers this one is producing renewal. Admiral Ibas has turned crisis into opportunity and laid the foundation for stronger democratic governance. History will remember this period not as a pause but as a rebirth," Dakas said.
