President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the end of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, paving the way for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to return to office from Thursday, September 18, 2025. The announcement was made in a statement released by the Presidency on Wednesday.
Tinubu explained that the emergency rule, which took effect on March 18, 2025, was invoked under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to halt what he described as a “total paralysis of governance” in the state. The conflict between Governor Fubara and 27 lawmakers loyal to House Speaker Martins Amaewhule had left Rivers without a functioning government, with even the Supreme Court noting in its ruling that there was effectively no government in place.
At the time, the president suspended the offices of the governor, deputy governor, and members of the state assembly, an action later endorsed by the National Assembly. Tinubu argued that the intervention was necessary to prevent the drift toward anarchy and to protect critical assets in the oil-rich state. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) was appointed Sole Administrator to oversee the state during the emergency period.
Speaking on Wednesday, Tinubu said intelligence reports now show a “groundswell of a new spirit of understanding” among political stakeholders in Rivers, with signs of readiness and enthusiasm for the restoration of democratic governance. He stressed that since the initial six-month period had expired, there was no justification for extending the emergency.
The president acknowledged that over 40 lawsuits were filed in federal and state courts challenging the legality of his proclamation. However, he maintained that the action was constitutionally justified and necessary at the time, adding that “it would have been a colossal failure” not to intervene.
Tinubu used the occasion to urge governors and state assemblies across Nigeria to work harmoniously and avoid the type of executive-legislative standoff that crippled Rivers State earlier in the year. He emphasized that stability in governance is essential for citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
With the lifting of the state of emergency, control of the state has now returned to its elected leaders, who are expected to resume their duties immediately.
