103
By Tracy Moses
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives were left frustrated on Thursday after they were forced to walk out of a committee hearing, having waited in vain for the second time for Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, to appear before the House Committee on Rivers State Oversight.
The committee, which was established to address crucial issues related to governance and accountability in Rivers State, following the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu, had initially extended an invitation to Ibas for a hearing on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
However, the invited official failed to appear on the scheduled date, instead submitting a formal request for a postponement, as confirmed by the House of Representatives’ spokesman, Akin Rotimi.
As a result, the committee rescheduled the hearing, summoning Ibas once again to appear on April 24, 2025, with the expectation of his cooperation.
Sadly, their hopes were dashed. As the lawmakers gathered at 3:00 PM in Committee Room 301, ready to engage Ibas and discuss pressing issues affecting the people of Rivers State, they were met with the same disappointment. Once again, Ibas failed to show up, leaving committee members visibly frustrated and angry.
The repeated failure to attend the hearing was met with disbelief from many lawmakers, who viewed it as a blatant disregard for the legislative process and an affront to the people of Rivers State, who are eagerly awaiting answers to critical concerns.
As the clock ticked past the appointed hour, members of the committee asked the committee’s chair, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, what their next step should be. He simply replied, “No words, I will issue a statement later in the day.”
The walkout that followed was a clear and powerful signal of the lawmakers’ displeasure. One by one, committee members filed out of the room, their frustration evident.
The incident underscored their growing impatience with Ibas’s continued failure to fulfill his obligations to the House, and further raised concerns about the commitment to accountability within Rivers State’s governance.
The committee’s frustration was palpable, and as members left the hearing room, the message was clear: Ibas’s repeated absence from critical oversight meetings would not go unchallenged.
Further actions may be forthcoming as the lawmakers continue to press for answers and demand accountability on behalf of the people they represent.