Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has officially lifted the state of emergency in Rivers State by reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara after his suspension lasting several months.
A State House report uncovered by our correspondent today revealed that no fewer than 40 cases were filed in various Nigerian courts challenging the presidential declaration.
President Tinubu, however, cautioned the 36 State governors to avoid situations that could compel him to exercise similar powers.
The statement reads:
“My Fellow countrymen and, in particular, the good people of Rivers State, I am happy to address you today on the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. You will recall that on 18th March 2025, I proclaimed a state of emergency in the state. In my proclamation address, I highlighted the reasons for the declaration. The summary of it for context is that there was a total paralysis of governance in Rivers State, which had led to the Governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly being unable to work together. Critical economic assets of the State, including oil pipelines, were being vandalized. The State House of Assembly was crisis-ridden, such that members were divided into two factions. Four members worked with the Governor, while 27 opposed him. The latter group supported the Speaker. As a result, the Governor could not present any Appropriation Bill to the House to access funds for state affairs. This serious constitutional impasse brought governance in the State to a standstill. Even the Supreme Court, in one of its judgments in a series of cases filed by the Executive and Legislative arms of Rivers State against each other, held that there was no government in Rivers State. My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians to resolve the conflict proved abortive as both sides stuck rigidly to their positions to the detriment of peace and development of the State.”
“It therefore became painfully inevitable that to arrest the drift towards anarchy in Rivers State, I was obligated to invoke the powers conferred on me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to proclaim the state of emergency. The Offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025.”
“I thank the National Assembly, which, after critically evaluating the justification for the proclamation, took steps immediately, as required by the Constitution, to approve the declaration in the interest of peace and order in Rivers State. I also thank our traditional rulers and the good people of Rivers State for their support from the date of the declaration of the state of emergency until now.”
“I am aware that there were voices of dissent against the proclamation, leading to the institution of over 40 cases in the courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, to invalidate the declaration. That is the way it should be in a democratic setting. Some cases are still pending in the courts as of today. However, it must be emphasized that the power to declare a state of emergency is an essential constitutional tool to address situations of actual or threatened breakdown of public order and safety, which require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security. Considered objectively, we had reached that situation of total breakdown of public order and safety in Rivers State, as shown in the Supreme Court’s judgment on the disputes between the Executive and Legislative arms.”
“As a stakeholder in democratic governance, I believe that the need for a harmonious existence and relationship between the executive and the legislature is key to a successful government, whether at the state or national level. The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. However, that expectation will remain unrealizable in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne of misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among stakeholders.”
“I am pleased to report that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance. This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning.”
“It gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria 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, including the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from September 18, 2025.”
“I take this opportunity to remind the Governors and the Houses of Assembly of all the States of our country to appreciate that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. I implore all of you to let this realization drive your actions at all times.”
“I thank you all. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
