President Tinubu Declares State of Emergency in Rivers State

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.

He made the declaration in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Match, 18, 2025

In making the declaration, the President explained that he felt greatly disturbed regarding the political crisis in Rivers State and have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.

He noted that with the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance can thrive in a way that will benefit the good people of the state; saying that the state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.

According to the President, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same.

The President said he has made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but his efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis.

“I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.

“On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:

“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

“The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

“Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”

The President noted that the Supreme Court made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated just as he noted that some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.

President Tinubu further explained that latest security reports made available to him show that between Monday and Tuesday there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them.

The President noted that with all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

Finally , he stated that having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to him as President to issue proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for him to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from , 18th March, 2025 and I so do.

By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.

In the meantime, the President announced Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. However, the declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

The President said that the Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.