In a decisive move to address the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The decision, announced in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, follows months of political instability that, according to Tinubu, have hindered governance and put the security of the state at risk.
The President has appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the administrator of the state, with a mandate to restore stability and ensure governance continues in the absence of the elected officials.
He stated that the judicial arm of the government would not be affected by the suspension, allowing courts to continue functioning in accordance with their constitutional responsibilities.
Tinubu expressed concern over the persistent crisis in Rivers State, citing the governor’s failure to rebuild the House of Assembly complex after its demolition in December 2023.
He noted that multiple attempts at resolving the crisis, including personal interventions and efforts by well-meaning Nigerians, had been ignored.
The Supreme Court had, on February 28, 2025, ruled on several appeals related to the crisis, declaring that Rivers State lacked a functioning government due to the absence of a legislative arm.
The court stated, “A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case, the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is, there is no government in Rivers State.”
Tinubu also cited security concerns, revealing that intelligence reports indicated increased vandalization of oil pipelines by militants, with no action taken by the governor to address the situation. “I have given stern orders to the security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property in Rivers State,” he stated.
Explaining the constitutional basis for his decision, Tinubu said that the governor and deputy governor had failed to request a state of emergency as required under Section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution. Consequently, he invoked Section 305 of the Constitution to take “extraordinary measures” to restore governance, peace, and security in Rivers State.
The administrator, according to the President, will not enact new laws but may formulate necessary regulations, subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council and the President.
He assured that the decision had been officially gazetted and forwarded to the National Assembly in line with constitutional requirements.
“It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole,” Tinubu declared.
