Former Rivers State administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas held a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu amid scrutiny of his six-month emergency tenure.

The immediate past Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), on Wednesday evening held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid growing scrutiny of his six-month stewardship of the oil-rich state.

CBI News reports that Ibas, who stepped down on September 17 following the end of emergency rule in Rivers, arrived Aso Rock around 6 p.m. and was ushered into the meeting by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede.

Edun had earlier been seen entering the Villa, leaving briefly and later returning with a file.

Though details of the meeting were not immediately disclosed, a source close to the Presidency told The PUNCH that Ibas’ invitation “is not unconnected with his six-month stewardship in Rivers State.”

The meeting came barely three days after the Rivers State House of Assembly announced plans to investigate government spending during Ibas’ emergency administration.

At its first plenary session after the return of democratic governance, the House, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resolved to “explore the process of knowing what transpired during the emergency rule with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure.”

Ibas had earlier dismissed calls for a probe, insisting there was no basis for such scrutiny.

When contacted on Wednesday night, Hector Igbikiowubo, media aide to the former administrator, said he was unaware of the Villa meeting but promised to “find out and respond,” though no update was provided as of press time.

President Tinubu had imposed emergency rule in March, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly, before directing their reinstatement last Thursday.

Ibas was appointed sole administrator during the six-month period.

Financial records show that Rivers State received at least N254.37bn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025 while Ibas was in charge.

An analysis of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data revealed monthly inflows of N44.66bn in March, N44.42bn in April, N42.80bn in May, and N42.30bn in June.

Although official NBS figures for July and August are yet to be released, FAAC documents reviewed by The PUNCH indicate allocations of N38.42bn and N41.76bn, respectively.

CBI News also reports that the figures bring the total net allocations to N254.37bn, averaging N42.40bn per month, during Ibas’ brief but financially significant tenure.

As the EFCC and the Finance Ministry remain tight-lipped on the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting, speculation continues to swirl around what transpired in Rivers State’s corridors of power during the six months of emergency rule.