President Bola Tinubu has said that the emergency rule in Rivers State, which started six months ago, will end.
In a statement he signed today, Tinubu said that from what he knew, there was a new spirit of understanding, “a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance.”
He remarked that this was definitely a good thing for him and a great accomplishment for the country, according to Channels TV.
“I don’t see why the state of emergency should last more than the six months I said it would at the start.
“It is with great pleasure that I announce that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria will end at midnight tonight.” “The Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will go back to work in their offices on September 18, 2025,” added Tinubu.
He remembered that the state of emergency in Rivers had to happen because of what he called a “total paralysis of governance” in Rivers that made it impossible for the governor and the House of Assembly to work together.
The president noted that the situation also hurt important economic assets in the state, like oil pipelines that were being damaged.
He said that his and other well-meaning Nigerians’ attempts to end the war were unsuccessful because both sides refused to back down, which hurt the peace and growth of Rivers State.
The State House of Assembly was in turmoil, and members were split into two groups. Four members collaborated with the governor, but 27 members were against him.
“The latter group backed the Speaker. Because of this, the governor couldn’t provide the House any Appropriation Bills, which would have let him get money to operate the business of Rivers State.
“That major constitutional deadlock brought the State’s government to a halt. Tinubu added, “Even the Supreme Court said in one of its decisions in a series of cases filed by the executive and legislative branches of Rivers State against each other that there was no government in Rivers State.”
“It was therefore tragically necessary for me to use the powers given to me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to declare a state of emergency in order to stop the trend into anarchy in Rivers State.
“The offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly were put on hold for six months at first. He went on to say, “Today, September 17, 2025, the six months are up.”
The president praised the National Assembly for quickly approving the declaration, as required by the Constitution, for the sake of peace and order in Rivers State. This was done after carefully considering the reasons for the proclamation.
He also praised the people of Rivers and the traditional rulers for their help from the day the state of emergency was declared till it was over.
“I Know About the Criticism”
Tinubu also added that he knew there were some people who disagreed with the proclamation. He said that this drove them to file more than 40 applications in the courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, to have the statement declared invalid.
He did say, though, that it would have been a huge mistake for him as president not to have made the announcement.
“That’s how it should be in a democracy.” There are still some cases in court as of now. The ability to declare a state of emergency is an important part of the Constitution that can be used when public order and safety are in danger of breaking down. This is because extraordinary measures are needed to restore peace, order, and safety.
“We had reached a point when public order and safety had completely broken down in Rivers State, as indicated by the Supreme Court’s ruling on the disagreements between the administrative and legislative branches of Rivers State. “It would have been a huge mistake for me as President not to have made that statement,” Tinubu stated in his statement.
As a participant in democracy, I think that the executive and legislative branches need to work together and get along for the government to work well, whether it’s at the state or national level. People who voted for us expect to enjoy the benefits of democracy.
“But that hope will not come true in a world of violence, chaos, and fear caused by misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulation among the stakeholders,” he said.
About the Author
