President Bola Tinubu has declared an end to the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective from midnight today.
The Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, as well as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, are to return to their offices beginning Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The announcement was contained in a nationwide address by the President on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. In his message, Tinubu recalled that the state of emergency was declared on March 18, 2025, following what he described as a total paralysis of governance in the state.
According to him, the suspension of the Governor, his deputy, and the State Assembly was necessary at the time to restore order after sharp divisions within the Assembly and strained relations between the executive and legislative arms brought government activity to a halt. He also cited vandalism of oil pipelines and an atmosphere of insecurity as further justification for the emergency proclamation.
“I proclaimed a state of emergency because governance in Rivers State had collapsed. The Governor and the House of Assembly could not work together. Even the Supreme Court ruled there was no government in the State. My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians failed, leaving me with no choice but to act,” Tinubu said.
The President noted that the six-month emergency period, approved by the National Assembly, officially expired on September 17. He expressed gratitude to lawmakers, traditional rulers, and residents of Rivers State for their support throughout the period.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians opposed the proclamation and filed over 40 court cases to challenge it, Tinubu maintained that his action was constitutional.
“The power to declare a state of emergency is an inbuilt constitutional tool to address situations of actual or threatened breakdown of public order and safety. It would have been a colossal failure on my part not to act,” he said.
Tinubu further stated that he had received assurances from political stakeholders in Rivers State of a new spirit of cooperation that would ensure the smooth functioning of democratic institutions in the state.
“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding and readiness among stakeholders for an immediate return to democratic governance. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer,” he said.
The President used the occasion to urge all governors and state assemblies across the federation to prioritise peace and good governance. “It is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” he stated.
