Rivers State Crisis Eases as Tinubu Ends Emergency Rule

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the termination of the six-month State of emergency imposed on Rivers State, restoring democratic governance after months of political paralysis and constitutional uncertainty.

The directive, which takes effect from midnight on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, allows Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule to return to their offices beginning Thursday, September 18.

The emergency was first declared on March 18, 2025, at the height of a protracted political impasse in Rivers State.

Lawmakers had been split, with 27 members aligning with Speaker Amaewhule against Governor Fubara, while only four members openly supported the governor.

The deep rift stalled legislative processes, including the passage of the Appropriation Bill, effectively crippling governance and financial operations.

The crisis drew national attention and culminated in a Supreme Court ruling that Rivers had “no functional government,” prompting Tinubu to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

Under the emergency decree, the powers of the governor, deputy governor, and state assembly members were suspended, with retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas appointed as sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked over 40 legal challenges, but the National Assembly swiftly endorsed the emergency rule, citing its necessity in preventing a total breakdown of order in the oil-rich state.

In his announcement ending the intervention, President Tinubu commended Rivers people, traditional rulers, and the legislature for their cooperation during the turbulent period.

He noted that recent reconciliatory efforts among political stakeholders paved the way for lifting the emergency, restoring constitutional governance, and reopening the democratic process in the state.

Tinubu further used the moment to urge all states across Nigeria to foster cooperation between their executive and legislative arms, warning that discord only undermines democratic progress and citizens’ welfare.

With the emergency now lifted, attention turns to how Governor Fubara and the State Assembly will rebuild trust and stabilize governance in a state long strained by political tension.