President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday announced the cessation of the state of emergency in Rivers State, six months after it was declared due to a constitutional and political crisis that crippled governance in the state.
The president, in a national broadcast, said the emergency rule, proclaimed on March 18, 2025, had become necessary at the time to prevent a drift into anarchy following the breakdown of relations between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He recalled that the prolonged crisis had led to a total paralysis of governance, with the governor unable to present an appropriation bill, economic assets under threat, and the state legislature split between rival factions.
“The situation reached a point where the Supreme Court declared that there was no government in Rivers State. My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians could not resolve the conflict,” Tinubu said.
He explained that invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution was “painfully inevitable” to restore order, leading to the suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and members of the House of Assembly for six months.
With the expiration of the emergency order on Tuesday, the president said there was now “a groundswell of understanding, readiness and enthusiasm” among stakeholders for a return to democratic governance.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today. The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from September 18, 2025,” Tinubu declared.
He thanked the National Assembly, traditional rulers, and the people of Rivers State for their support during the period of emergency, while urging all state governors and legislatures nationwide to prioritise peace and good governance.
