By Sola Ojewusi
Abuja, September 17, 2025 — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the end of the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, declaring that democratic governance will resume in the oil-rich state from September 18.
In a national broadcast on Wednesday, the President said the measure, first proclaimed on March 18, 2025, was a painful but necessary step to save Rivers State from “a total paralysis of governance.” He recalled that deep-seated political hostilities between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly had crippled governance, escalated insecurity, and led even the Supreme Court to rule that “there was no government in Rivers State.”
“The Governor could not present an Appropriation Bill to the House. Oil pipelines were being vandalised. The legislature was split into two camps, and all efforts to broker peace failed. It therefore became inevitable to invoke the powers conferred on me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to proclaim a state of emergency,” Tinubu explained.
Under the proclamation, the offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and all elected members of the State Assembly were suspended for six months, while an interim administration oversaw the affairs of the state. That period expires at midnight today.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for swiftly approving the emergency rule and thanked Rivers’ traditional rulers and residents for their support. He also acknowledged the dissenting voices who challenged the proclamation in court, describing such legal actions as a healthy expression of democracy.
Looking ahead, the President said intelligence reports indicate “a new spirit of understanding and readiness” among Rivers political actors, creating the conditions for a return to normal governance.
“With effect from midnight today, the emergency in Rivers State shall end. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, alongside members of the legislature, will resume work in their offices,” Tinubu declared.
He urged all governors and state assemblies across Nigeria to learn from Rivers State’s experience, stressing that peace, order, and cooperation between the executive and legislature remain indispensable for delivering the dividends of democracy.
“Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.
