AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
President Bola Tinubu has announced the end of the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, paving the way for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to resume their duties on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the President said the emergency rule, declared on March 18, 2025, was necessary to halt what he described as a “total paralysis of governance” in the state.
“It gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from September 18, 2025,” the statement read.
Tinubu recalled that a political standoff between the governor and 27 lawmakers loyal to the House Speaker had crippled governance in the state, prompting the Supreme Court to observe in one of its rulings that “there was no government in Rivers State.”
He explained that the decision to invoke emergency powers under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) was “painfully inevitable” in order to avert anarchy. The National Assembly, he noted, endorsed the proclamation, which suspended the governor, deputy governor, and all members of the State Assembly for six months.
“The offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected lawmakers were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17, 2025,” he stated.
Tinubu also acknowledged that more than 40 lawsuits were filed to challenge the measure, but insisted it was constitutionally valid, stressing that failing to act would have been a “colossal dereliction of duty.”
Expressing satisfaction with the current political climate in the state, the President said intelligence reports point to a “new spirit of understanding and readiness” among stakeholders, which justified ending the emergency at the initial timeframe.
“I am happy that there is now robust enthusiasm and consensus for a return to democratic governance in Rivers. This is a welcome development and a remarkable achievement for us. There is no reason for the state of emergency to continue a day longer than the six months earlier proclaimed,” he added.
Tinubu urged governors and state assemblies nationwide to foster harmony between the executive and legislature to ensure good governance and stability.
Since the emergency proclamation, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) has been serving as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
