President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday evening summoned the immediate past administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in what sources described as a high-stakes consultation.

Ibas, whom sources revealed arrived at the State House around 5:50 p.m. dressed in brown native attire, was accompanied 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 Olukayede.

Earlier, Edun had been sighted entering the villa briefly before leaving, only to return later carrying a file, a detail that underscored the gravity of the engagement with the President.

Vice Admiral Ibas ceased to function as Rivers administrator on September 17, following the termination of the six-month emergency rule imposed in March.

President Tinubu had, at the time, directed the reinstatement of the suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

At its first sitting after emergency rule, the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resolved to investigate the management of state funds during Ibas’ tenure.

Lawmakers specifically moved “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 expenditures.”

Ibas has, however, publicly rejected the decision to probe his stewardship, insisting that his administration acted within the law.

Official records show that Rivers State received at least N254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025, covering the period Ibas held sway as sole administrator.

Details of Wednesday’s closed-door meeting were yet to be made public at press time.