IBY
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu cited the prolonged political crisis, security breaches, and destruction of national infrastructure as reasons for his intervention. Retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas has been appointed as the state administrator to oversee governance during the emergency period.
The President accused Governor Fubara of undermining democratic governance by demolishing the state House of Assembly in December 2023 and failing to restore it. He also noted that efforts by himself and other stakeholders to mediate the crisis had been ignored.
“It is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State, for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, 14 months after, not rebuilt the same,” Tinubu said.
Citing a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, which declared that Rivers State lacked a functioning government due to the absence of a legislative arm, Tinubu argued that the situation had become untenable.
The President also accused the governor of failing to take action against militants allegedly threatening violence and vandalizing pipelines in the state. He directed security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and national assets in Rivers.
“With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state,” he stated.
The declaration, which has been gazetted and forwarded to the National Assembly, has sparked political uproar, with critics describing it as a move to subvert democracy. Fubara’s allies have accused the federal government of using security concerns as a pretext for political interference in the state’s governance.
As tensions rise, all eyes are on the National Assembly, which is constitutionally required to approve or reject the state of emergency within ten days.
This development marks the most drastic federal intervention in a Nigerian state since the declaration of emergency rule in some northern states during the Boko Haram insurgency.
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