Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are expected to resume work in their offices on Thursday following the lifting of a six-month emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday (today).
The President in a statement he personally signed said with the visible indicators of return of peace and public order in the state following the emergency rule, there was no justifiable reason for him to extend the suspension of the democratic structures by even a single day.
Accordingly, he announced a cessation of the state of emergency with effect from the midnight of September 17, which marked a completion of the six months he declared in March.
Tinubu had on March 18, in a nationwide broadcast, announced the suspension of the Rivers State Governor Fubara, his deputy, Odu and members of the State Assembly from office for six month following a protracted face-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government in the state.
The suspension paved way for a state of emergency which he appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as the sole administrator.
The state of emergency as well as the appointment of Ibas sparked stiffening criticisms, but Tinubu stuck to his guns, citing threat to public peace and order as well of national assets as the motivation for his “painful” decision.
Announcing the lifting of the emergency rule on Wednesday in a statement, however, the President noted that intelligence at his disposal favoured a return to the path of democracy as all stakeholders in the state had shown enthusiasm to embrace peace and order.
“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 an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne by misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among the stakeholders.
“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance. This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today. 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,” he said.
President Tinubu reminded the governors and the Houses of Assembly of all the states of the federation “to continue to appreciate that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” adding “I implore all of you to let this realisation drive your actions at all times.”
