Tinubu ends State of emergency in Rivers, asks Fubara to resume

Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended the emergency in Rivers State with immediate effect and asked the suspended Governor, Fubara Siminalayi to resume work from Thursday, 18th September, 2025.

According to the President in a statement on Wednesday said the end of the State emergency came after a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of the stakeholders in Rivers for an immediate return to democratic governance.

Tinubu recalled that the state of emergency, proclaimed on March 18, 2025, became necessary following a political deadlock between the executive and legislature in Rivers State.
He noted that the division within the House of Assembly and its conflict with the governor had paralyzed governance, disrupted economic activities, and even prompted the Supreme Court to declare that there was effectively no government in the state.

According to him, “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.
“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 atmosphere of violence, anarchy, insecurity borne by misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among the stakeholders.

“The Offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025”, the President narrated.
Tinubu declared, “The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025”.

The President reminded the Governors and the Houses of Assembly of all States of the country to continue to appreciate that only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that the govt can deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Meanwhile, the emergency rule which was imposed in the state as part of measures to address governance and security challenges, while functions were overseen by Federal, replacing it with the Sola Administration to ensure continuity of governance and public service delivery.

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), the Sole Administrator, said his administration is leaving behind a legacy of transparency, discipline, and reform, after launching of International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) and new revenue codes.