Tinubu Ends Six-Month Emergency Rule in Rivers State, Reinstates Governor Fubara
By: Itoro Etukudo
President cites intelligence report and improved political cooperation as reasons to restore democratic governance from September 18.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revoked the state of emergency in Rivers State, six months after imposing it on March 18, 2025.
He has restored the governor, deputy governor, and state lawmakers to their offices effective September 18, an official statement revealed Wednesday.
Tinubu announced that the decision followed a positive intelligence report indicating that key political actors in Rivers had shown “a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm… for an immediate return to democratic governance.”
In his address, the president recalled that the emergency rule was declared due to a breakdown of governance in Rivers, including clashes between the Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly, inability to pass appropriation bills, vandalism of critical assets such as oil pipelines, and a Supreme Court decision that held there was effectively “no government” in the state.
During the emergency period, Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the State Assembly under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as administrator.
Reactions remain mixed: supporters see the revocation as timely and welcome, while critics, including opposition parties, argue the emergency rule was a breach of democratic norms.
President Tinubu thanked the National Assembly, traditional rulers, and the people of Rivers State for their cooperation during the emergency, and urged all political stakeholders to maintain peace, order, and respect for democratic institutions as the state returns to full democratic governance.
