On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu revoked the state of emergency that was imposed in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, taking advantage of the chance to address those who disagreed with his decision.
According to Tinubu’s carefully crafted declaration, “Cessation of State of Emergency in Rivers State,” he was aware of the critiques that followed his conduct.
Although there are still court issues against the Rivers emergency rule, the president stated that the constitution gives him the authority to take action when there is a possibility of a breakdown in law and order.
“I am aware that some people disagreed with the proclamation, and as a result, they challenged it in more than 40 instances in the courts of Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa. In a democratic context, that is the proper way to do things.
There are still some cases that are pending in the courts today. However, it must be stated that the authority to proclaim a state of emergency is a built-in constitutional mechanism to deal with situations where public safety and order are actually or potentially threatening to break down and extraordinary measures are needed to restore peace, order, and security to the state.
“When seen objectively, the Supreme Court’s ruling on the conflicts between Rivers State’s legislative and executive branches demonstrated that public safety and order had completely collapsed in the state. If I hadn’t made that declaration, it would have been a monumental failure on my part as president,” Tinubu said.
By suspending the emergency rule, Tinubu instructed the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the deputy governor, Ngozi Nma Odu, to return to their posts as of today.
Remember Tinubu’s unexpected move on March 18, 2025, when he proclaimed a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, citing irreconcilable issues between the political players, particularly between Governor Similayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory?
The secretariat of the Rivers State House of Assembly was demolished overnight as two groups arose to vie for supremacy during the political intrigues.
Tinubu further defended his actions by claiming that the crises surrounding the state House of Assembly and the destruction of vital state economic assets, like as oil pipelines, required him to declare a state of emergency.
My fellow citizens, and especially the wonderful people of Rivers State,” Tinubu declared on Wednesday.
It is with great pleasure that I inform you of the declaration of emergency in Rivers State today. On March 18, 2025, I declared a state of emergency in the state, as you may remember. In my proclamation speech, I emphasized the declaration’s justifications.
For background, the governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly were unable to cooperate because of the complete paralysis of that state’s governance. The state’s vital economic resources, such as oil pipelines, were being damaged.
The state House of Assembly was in such difficulty that its members were split into two factions. There were 27 members who opposed the governor, and four who supported him. Members of the latter group backed the speaker. Consequently, the governor was unable to introduce any appropriation bills in the House to obtain the necessary finances to manage the operations of Rivers State.
Governance in the state came to a complete halt as a result of that significant constitutional deadlock. There was no government in Rivers State, according to a ruling by the Supreme Court in one of the cases that the legislative and executive branches of the state filed against one another. My attempt to mediate the disagreement, along with the attempts of other well-meaning Nigerians, was unsuccessful because both sides steadfastly maintained their positions at the expense of the state’s peace and progress.
It became painfully apparent, therefore, that I would have to use the authority granted to me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to declare a state of emergency in order to stop Rivers State’s descent into anarchy. The first was a six-month suspension of the governor’s and deputy governor’s offices as well as elected members of the state House of Assembly. As of now, September 17, 2025, the six months are up.
As required by the constitution, the National Assembly promptly acted to ratify the declaration in the interest of peace and order in Rivers State after thoroughly assessing the argument for it. For this, I am grateful. I also want to thank the excellent people of Rivers State and our traditional rulers for their support both before and after the state of emergency was declared.
Nonetheless, Tinubu acknowledged that certain dissident voices have criticized the state’s declaration of emergency, which led to legal impediments.
A successful administration, whether at the state or federal level, depends on the executive and legislature having a harmonious existence and relationship, he claims as a supporter of democratic governance.
He claimed that people expect to benefit from democracy since they elected officials to office. That expectation, however, will not be attainable in a climate of violence, chaos, and insecurity brought on by misplaced political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among the stakeholders.
According to the information I have access to, I am pleased to report that all parties involved in Rivers State are acting with a renewed sense of understanding, readiness, and fervor for an early restoration to democratic rule. This is definitely a positive step for me and a noteworthy accomplishment for us. Therefore, I fail to understand why the state of emergency should last one day longer than the six months I declared at the start.
That’s why I’m delighted to announce that the emergency in Nigeria’s Rivers State will expire at midnight today. In addition to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, and the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, will return to their positions on September 18, 2025.
I use this chance to encourage our nation’s governors and Houses of Assembly in every state to never lose sight of the fact that we can only provide the benefits of democracy to our citizens in an environment of peace, order, and sound governance. I humbly ask that you all allow this realization to guide your every move.
Encouragement for Fubara to Be Brave and Focus on His Mission
In the meantime, some Nigerians have responded to the news that President Bola Tinubu announced the end of emergency rule in Rivers State today, citing the complete paralysis of the state’s governance as the reason.
Chief Martin Onovo, a former presidential candidate, told the Daily Independent that President Bola Tinubu was to blame for the setback and advised Fubara to focus on the mandate that his people given him.
“Nigerian leadership is the country’s issue. The lawlessness of the Tinubu administration is what led to this predicament. It’s illegal to suspend Fubara. The Constitution is violated. Therefore, when you create a problem of this nature, other problems begin to appear.
The same thing that occurred to him can happen to anyone, anywhere. When the government was ousted, it was a coup d’etat.
There was a coup d’etat that befell him. I may experience it. Anybody can experience it.
Lawmakers hold that the safety and well-being of the populace are the primary goals of government. The security and well-being of the populace should be Fubara’s top priority if he returns to power.
“He ought to consider the most effective methods to advance the safety and well-being of his people when he returns there. If there is anything left over, or if nothing, he will wait for the next allocation of funds to have more money and spend it for his people’s welfare, including infrastructure, education, health care, and other things.
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress, expressed regret that Rivers State has experienced unemployment, poverty, and other social vices as a result of the six months of emergence rule.
He stated that Governor Fubara need to be supported and encouraged in fulfilling the responsibility and mandate that the people have entrusted to him.
Speaking on Arise TV, Okaba stated: “In fact, River State’s six months of emergency rule, which ran from March 18 to September 18, 2025, caused extremely large losses in a number of sectors. Additionally, these losses affect democratic representation, governance, and the economy, social services, and the consolidation of democracy in the short and long term.
Therefore, to begin with, we had a dictatorship in existence, represented by the so-called appointed, after the governor, deputy governor, and legislature were suspended. This in and of itself denied River State’s residents elected representation. The control was centralized. Decisions were taken from a single table without any legislative participation, so there was no public accountability.
All of this has undermined democracy’s fundamental tenet: government of, by, and for the people. Since the only administrator was selected as the head of state, local governments also had administrators—that is, administrators in each of the 25 local government areas—which further degraded accountability and grassroots democracy, local autonomy was also damaged. Elections for local government were really held in August 2025. The criticisms of prejudice in favor of a single person who won the 25 local government regions were evident to all of us. Moreover, this has made the impression of political capture worse. During the declaration and prior to it, we discussed these topics.
In addition, there was a certain amount of indifference toward investment, to the point that economic activity was quite low. Due to the uncertainties, there were claims of decreased patronage from businesspeople and investors. Currently, two significant projects are in progress.
“Exploring the N195 billion Port Harcourt Ring Road project, the Trans-Kalabari Initiative, and Ring Road.” These things came to a standstill, and the result for us is deteriorating development and increased transportation stress. Due to political factors, around 10,000 jobs were eliminated.
The removal of employees from their positions led to a rise in unemployment and hardship. Another name for Port Harcourt was the Garden City. Throughout this time, it was evident that Port Harcourt’s surroundings were covered with various types of waste, which had a negative impact on social services due to improper sanitation methods.
The former head of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Malachy Ugwumadu, criticized Fubara for his lack of decisiveness, saying that this made his situation worse.
“This experience is a benefit for Fubara,” he stated. He should be aware that it is not worthwhile to be indecisive when you need to be extremely determined and definite. Because of the way he put himself in a really bad situation, he became quite weak.
Regretfully for him, history has documented him and will continue to do so. Furthermore, as a nation, we need to understand how to prevent any one individual, no matter how strong, from controlling the flow of power. The white man who created democracy did so with the knowledge that people tend to misuse their position of authority. Perhaps the weakness that Rivers State has experienced is a new trend. who, after failing to gain what he desired, not only delegitimized his own political party but also blocked it in favor of another one.
According to Femi Lawson, Executive Director of the Center for Public Accountability, political players need to realize that peace in Rivers State cannot be negotiated.
He stated, “Political actors in Rivers State must have learned that peace is ultimately non-negotiable.” Beyond the political interests of individuals that prompted the proclamation of a state of emergency, the interests of the people of Rivers State must be prioritized to ensure peace. Although there are still questions regarding the validity of the president’s conduct, they must take all precaution to prevent what has occurred in Rivers State, as well as in other federation states. That Rivers State has reestablished democratic administration is a positive development.
“Fubara should stay focused on his duty to bring Rivers State the benefits of democracy, not on who his friends and foes are. Delivering on the Rivers people’s mandate should be his first priority.
“Wike needs to realize that he holds the title of governor of that state. Even though it is assumed that he is the governor’s political godfather, which is illegal, he should still provide Fubara with the necessary support and let him carry out his duties as governor of Rivers State without needlessly trying to dictate how the state’s governance should proceed. Allowing Fubara to govern Rivers State while he concentrates on his responsibilities as the FCT’s minister is prudent. The president should call Mr. Wike as well and urge him to concentrate on his responsibilities as a minister and let Fubara handle the governance duties.
