• Fubara, Wike absent at Ibas’ farewell thanksgiving service
Civil servants in Rivers State, at the weekend, staged a protest against the mandatory staff verification exercise a few days to the expiration of the emergency rule in the state.
  
The workers took to the streets of Port Harcourt, chanting solidarity songs to condemn the alleged inhuman treatment over the uncoordinated verification exercise initiated by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
  
They lamented being cramped into the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre since Friday, staying all night to Saturday, September 13, 2025, without being attended to. They described the exercise as a charade, accusing Ibas of clandestine motives.
  
The workers regretted that similar chaos broke out last week when the verification exercise started, as people were not attended to due to poor arrangements and organisation.
  
They stated that the exercise was ill-timed, alleging that Ibas only wants to use it to justify the state government budget that was criticised.
  
The Guardian gathered that the names of workers who have served in various local council areas, ministries and parastatals were omitted due to inadequate manpower and space to capture the workers; hence, when salaries were paid, those whose names were not captured did not receive their pay, a situation which infuriated the workers.

However, Ibas has called on political actors in the state to sheathe their swords, saying the progress and prosperity of the state must be placed above personal or partisan interest.
  
Key actors in the Rivers State political crisis, including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, were absent at the farewell Thanksgiving Service of the state’s sole administrator. 
  
Ibas said that his administration has planted the seed for reconciliation, urging the people to nurture it to take root.
  
He urged all stakeholders, including leaders, elders, politicians, and citizens, to put the state first at all times.
  
Ibas spoke during an interdenominational Thanksgiving Service in commemoration of transitional activities to usher in democratic governance in Rivers State yesterday.
  
The sole administrator, last week, noted that he has ‘successfully achieved’ the mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu.