By Palang Paul
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally ended the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly.
In a national broadcast on Tuesday, the President said the emergency rule, declared on March 18, 2025, had become “painfully inevitable” following a total paralysis of governance in the state. According to him, Rivers was plunged into crisis after a bitter rift between Governor Fubara and the House of Assembly, which split into two factions—four lawmakers loyal to the Governor and 27 aligned with the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule.
“The serious constitutional impasse brought governance in Rivers State to a standstill. Even the Supreme Court, in its judgment, held that there was no government in Rivers State,” Tinubu explained.
He noted that efforts by his office and other well-meaning Nigerians to mediate between the feuding camps failed, forcing him to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to suspend democratic institutions in the state for six months.
Tinubu praised the National Assembly for approving the proclamation, as well as traditional rulers and citizens of Rivers for their resilience during the turbulent period.
While acknowledging dissenting voices who challenged the decision in court, the President insisted that declaring a state of emergency was the only constitutional remedy to restore order. “It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he said.
With the expiration of the six months on September 17, Tinubu said intelligence reports now indicate a “groundswell of understanding and readiness” among Rivers stakeholders to return to democratic governance.
“It gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today,” Tinubu announced.
From Wednesday, September 18, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Odu, and Speaker Amaewhule alongside all suspended lawmakers are to resume their offices.
The President, however, issued a stern reminder to governors and state assemblies nationwide: “It is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.”
He concluded with a call for unity and political maturity across Nigeria, stressing that democracy can only thrive when leaders put the people above personal interests.
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