Actor-turned-politician and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has called for a full investigation into the immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Okonkwo argued that Ibas and other outsiders exploited the state during the controversial state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
He stressed that Rivers people allowed division to weaken them, making it easy for strangers to control their affairs.
“When a state is disunited, outsiders will come in and siphon resources. Rivers should learn from this,” Okonkwo said.
The lawyer and Nollywood veteran condemned the emergency rule, saying it was unnecessary since both Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, belonged to the same political family.
Okonkwo listed key national figures, including President Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola, and Ibas, as “strangers” who dictated Rivers’ fate during the crisis.
He accused them of exploiting the state, insisting that Ibas must be probed over the alleged N22 billion budgeted for CCTV installation at the Rivers State Government House.
“This was nothing short of looting under the guise of governance. Rivers people must demand accountability,” Okonkwo declared.
His comments come amid growing calls for transparency in the management of Rivers’ resources and criticism of how the state of emergency was handled.
The Rivers crisis, which deepened the rift between Wike and Fubara, has continued to dominate national discourse, with many accusing the federal government of using it to strengthen political control rather than resolve conflict.
For now, Okonkwo insists that holding Ibas accountable is a crucial step toward justice and restoring the confidence of Rivers people in their governance system.
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