President Bola Tinubu announced Wednesday the immediate lifting of the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective from midnight. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been directed to resume their duties on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The emergency rule was declared on March 18, 2025, following what President Tinubu described as a “total collapse of governance” in Rivers State. The crisis stemmed from a severe political impasse between the executive and legislative branches of the state government.
Key issues that prompted the emergency declaration included:
- Complete breakdown in cooperation between Governor Fubara and the State House of Assembly
- Division of the 31-member assembly into two opposing factions: 4 members supporting the governor and 27 opposing him
- Inability of the governor to present an appropriation bill, effectively blocking access to state funds
- Vandalism of critical economic infrastructure, including oil pipelines
- A Supreme Court ruling that effectively stated there was “no government in Rivers State”
President Tinubu cited intelligence reports indicating a “groundswell of new understanding” and renewed commitment to democratic governance among all stakeholders as the basis for his decision to lift the emergency rule.
“There is a robust readiness and potent enthusiasm on the part of all stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” the President stated.
The emergency rule, initially declared for six months, will conclude exactly at the predetermined timeframe, with no extension deemed necessary.
The President defended his use of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, emphasising that the emergency declaration was necessary to prevent Rivers State from descending into anarchy. Despite facing over 40 legal challenges filed in courts across Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, Tinubu maintained that the constitutional tool was appropriately applied.
“It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he stated, referencing the Supreme Court’s acknowledgement of the governance breakdown.
President Tinubu used the occasion to remind all state governors and assemblies nationwide about the importance of maintaining peaceful, orderly governance to deliver democratic dividends to citizens.
The return of Governor Fubara and the assembly members marks the end of one of Nigeria’s most significant recent constitutional crises, with the success of the resolution potentially serving as a model for future political disputes.
- Governor: Siminalayi Fubara
- Deputy Governor: Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu
- House of Assembly Speaker: Martins Amaewhule
- All elected assembly members will resume their legislative duties
The political crisis in Rivers State had been closely watched nationally, given the state’s significance as a major oil-producing region and its economic importance to Nigeria.
