By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
In a dramatic and unprecedented move, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the prolonged political crisis that has crippled governance and posed a threat to security and democratic order in the oil-rich region.
The decision, announced in a national broadcast today, comes after months of escalating tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state legislature.
In his address, President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the state’s paralysis, which he said had denied the people of Rivers State the dividends of democracy.
He highlighted the governor’s controversial demolition of the State House of Assembly in December 2023, a move he described as unjustifiable and indicative of a breakdown in governance.
Efforts by the federal government and other well-meaning Nigerians to mediate in the crisis had failed, the president noted, forcing his hand to take decisive action.
The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered on 28th February 2025, had already raised serious constitutional concerns, declaring that the absence of a functioning legislature rendered the state effectively without a government.
The court criticised the governor’s actions as despotic, stating that a government could not exist without all three arms functioning under the 1999 Constitution.
Further compounding the crisis, security reports revealed fresh threats from militants, including acts of pipeline vandalisation, which the governor had allegedly failed to address.
The president stated that his administration could not stand idly by while the state descended further into lawlessness, adding that the constitutional provision for a state of emergency had been invoked to restore peace and order.
As a result of the proclamation, Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been suspended from office for an initial period of six months.
In their place, President Tinubu has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the Administrator of Rivers State, tasked with stabilising governance and ensuring security.
The judiciary, however, remains unaffected by the emergency measures and will continue its constitutional functions.
The president clarified that the administrator would not have the power to enact new laws but could implement necessary regulations, subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council.
He revealed that the declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly, as required by the Constitution.
President Tinubu expressed hope that the intervention would serve as a wake-up call for political actors in Rivers State to respect constitutional governance.
He reaffirmed his commitment to a peaceful, democratic Nigeria and urged all stakeholders to work towards restoring order in the state.
