President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced the end of the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, declaring that democratic governance would fully resume in the oil-rich state from 18 September.
Speaking on the latest twist in the political developments in Rivers State, political figures and ethnic nationalities in the state have weighed in on how they want the returning Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to proceed with the affairs of the state.
The President, in a statement personally signed by him, said his decision followed what he described as “a groundswell of new understanding” among political stakeholders in Rivers State, six months after he proclaimed emergency rule in the state.
Tinubu had, on 18 March 2025, invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to suspend Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and the 32-member State House of Assembly from exercising the duties of their respective offices.
The decision came after months of bitter political conflict that paralysed governance in the state, with the Assembly split between a pro-Speaker bloc of 27 lawmakers and a pro-governor group of four.
The President said the suspension, which lasted six months and expires at midnight on 17th September, was necessary to avert what he called “a drift towards anarchy” following the inability of the two arms of government to work together, as well as the vandalisation of critical economic assets, including oil pipelines.
“From the intelligence available to me, there is now a robust readiness and potent enthusiasm on the part of all stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” Tinubu stated.
With the emergency lifted, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Odu, and Speaker Martins Amaewhule are expected to resume their constitutional roles on Thursday.
The President acknowledged that his proclamation attracted over 40 court cases in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, but insisted the measure was unavoidable given the judgement of the Supreme Court at the time, which declared that governance had collapsed in Rivers State.
“It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he maintained.
Tinubu, however, commended the National Assembly for swiftly approving the emergency declaration in March, as well as the traditional rulers and residents of Rivers State for their cooperation throughout the period.
He urged governors and lawmakers across the country to draw lessons from the crisis, stressing that democracy could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, order, and mutual respect between the executive and legislature.
“The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. That expectation will remain unrealised in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne of misguided political activism,” Tinubu warned.
The President concluded by reminding elected officials nationwide that the dividends of democracy can only be delivered in an environment of stability.
There was uneasy calm in Rivers State as the people awaited the return of Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The emergency declaration in March 2025 came amid a deep political crisis in Rivers, characterised by conflict between Fubara and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Among the flashpoints was the demolition of the House of Assembly complex in late 2023 and disputes over legislative membership and legitimacy.
There were allegations of widespread pipeline vandalisation by militants, and governance was considered paralysed due to constitutional breaches, including a Supreme Court decision that later criticised the governor’s handling of the Assembly as tantamount to “despotism”, stating that there was “no functioning government” in Rivers.
As part of his measures, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired) as the sole administrator to run the affairs of the state during the emergency. Judicial institutions were left intact.
Although the President has not made any formal proclamation ending the state of emergency in the state, stakeholders have already begun setting an agenda for Fubara ahead of his return to office.
Stakeholders Speak
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, national publicity secretary of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Omininim Obiuwevbi, expressed hope that Fubara would do more than he did before his suspension.
Obiuwevbi said: “PANDEF believes that a democratically elected governor should preside over every subnational, or what we call state, in Nigeria. PANDEF does not believe in military rule. In this regime, PANDEF believes that things must be democratically handled and in accordance with the constitution, which is the regulator of every law in Nigeria.
“So, as Fubara resumes, we know that the people of Rivers State will jubilate. We also know that he will do more than he has done before.”
Also speaking with LEADERSHIP, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, advised the governor to ensure that the state regains its position in the comity of states in the country.
Nwuke said: “We expect that, by the grace of God, we will have a state that is united, a state that is forward-moving and a state that will take its pre-eminent position within the Nigerian polity.
“Rivers people are happy that their elected representatives are coming back, and the President is keeping to his promise to restore democracy as soon as the Rivers political class agrees to work together. There is every indication that the Rivers political class is working together and we have learnt our lessons,” he said.
Immediate-past national publicity secretary of PANDEF, Dr Ken Robinson, advised Fubara to focus on governance and shun sycophants and conflict instigators who contributed to the state’s current situation.
“He should focus on governance for the time he has left and discard some of the sycophants and conflict instigators that have brought all these issues to Rivers State. Rivers State has lost a lot financially, in terms of developmental efforts and in terms of resources, due to the crisis.
“So, when the governor comes back, his focus should be development; his focus should be governance. He should avoid all those things that led us into the crisis,” Robinson said.
For his part, the president of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Dr Kennedy West, urged the governor not to allow himself to be hoodwinked by political antagonists.
West advised Fubara to complete the legacy projects he began before his suspension, in order to write his name in gold.
He said: “He should not allow himself to be hoodwinked by political antagonists, whether from the right wing or the left wing. There are so many projects that have started, and six months was a huge setback.
“So, the challenge before him is to finish the legacy projects and still write his name in gold. He should give rapt attention to the projects, and to the dreams he has for Rivers people under his administration. He should understand that what he is going through now is like a crash programme for him.”
PDP Chieftain: Fubara Free to Leave Party
For his part, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Emma Okah, said Fubara is at liberty to leave the party and join any other political platform.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, Okah described the PDP as a weakened political party that cannot win the presidential or governorship election in Rivers State.
“He (Fubara) has the right to choose any party of his choice. In Nigeria now, there is no ideology anymore. People go to places where they can win elections. So, whether he is in APC or PDP, it doesn’t change anything. If he wants to go to APC, I will support him.
“PDP is already weakened, and you know how and why. So, as a politician, sometimes it is best to be as realistic as possible. PDP does not stand a chance to win at the presidential or governorship level in Rivers State in 2027. That is the truth,” he said.
Fubara’s media aide, Dr Dormene Mbea, said the governor would be fair to all upon his return.
Mbea said: “He is a governor with a large heart. He knows how to ensure that everybody is happy. He will allow others to get something because he needs Rivers people. He does not need a divided house.”
Ex-ACF Scribe Faults Supreme Court For Inaction
Meanwhile, a former secretary general of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and elder statesman, Anthony Sani, has welcomed the suspension of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but faulted the Supreme Court for not addressing the case filed by some governors.
Governors of the opposition PDP had approached the Supreme Court to challenge the President’s power to suspend a democratically elected governor.
He said: “If the state of emergency in Rivers State has stabilised and brought normalcy to the politics of Rivers State, there is nothing wrong in the President’s decision not to extend the emergency, whose aims and objectives have come unto their own.
“My only grouse is with the Supreme Court which has not addressed the concerns by some governors as to whether the emergency was constitutional or not. The Supreme Court’s judgement would have improved the rule of law in our multiparty democracy.”
On his part, a former local government chairman of Khana in Rivers State, Marvins Yobana, called on all stakeholders to embrace peace and reconciliation to move forward.
Speaking on a TVC programme yesterday, he said the governor of Rivers State should be able to call the sole administrator to explain if there is any need for such.
He however said if there are no infractions the governor does not need to seek a probe of the sole administrator’s tenure.
He said a lot of healing has to take place, especially in the state assembly, for the state to move forward.
