Moves to probe my 6-month tenure unconstitutional – Ibas

The former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has described as unconstitutional, moves by the State House of Assembly to probe his six months tenure in office.

Reacting to the resolution of the State House of Assembly to probe the immediate past Sole Administrator, Ibas speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubu, on Sunday, said, he will resist the probe, arguing that the State Legislators were not the one that appointed him.

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The House of Assembly expressed concerns on the state’s expenditure over the last few months under the former Sole Administrator, hence, the resolution of the House to probe him.

Ibas’s Adviser while answering questions from journalists insisted that the lawmakers lack the power to investigate him, pointing out that they didn’t appoint him as the Administrator of the State.

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He said the lawmakers having been away for a while were merely trying to be seen working thereby dabbling into issues that doesn’t fall within their powers.

He reasoned that attempt by lawmakers to probe the former administrator was directly probing President Bola Tinubu that appointed him as well as the National Assembly that supervised him during his tenure of office.

According to Igbikiowubu, while nobody can prevent the Assembly from probing what they perceive to be their functions within the state, the attempt to probe the immediate past administrator of the state would be a “fool’s errand.”

“When you say they were going to probe the tenure of the administrator, was it the Assembly that appointed the administrator?

“You see, the point to note is that commentary is free. You can’t stop people from running commentary. The House of Assembly has been on break for a very long time, and you will appreciate that they have not been able to discharge their functions for such a long time,”

“Now that they have resumed, they have to make an effort to carry out their functions. So, it will seem their right to probe what has gone wrong in the state. Nobody can stop the lawmakers from carrying out a probe of what they perceive to be their functions within the state.

“But like I asked earlier, were they the ones that appointed the administrator? So, if you didn’t appoint the administrator, it goes to reason that you have certain limitations. When you also realise that the administrator was appointed by the President, it goes without reason that the administrator acted for and on behalf of the President.”

He added, “When you also reason that the administrator was supervised by the National Assembly, it goes without reason that when you decide to probe the administrator, you’re invariably saying that you will be probing the administrator and the National Assembly.

“So, I wish them good luck with their plan and their probe. But you and I know that such an enterprise amounts to a fool’s errand.”

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