President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday announced the cessation of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, declaring that democratic governance would resume in the state from September 18.
Tinubu, in a national broadcast, said the intervention had become “painfully inevitable” in March after the paralysis of governance caused by a bitter feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly. The crisis, which split lawmakers into rival factions, left the governor unable to present an appropriation bill, effectively grounding the state’s administration.
“The serious constitutional impasse brought governance in the state to a standstill,” Tinubu recalled. “Even the Supreme Court held that there was no government in Rivers State. My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians proved abortive as both sides stuck rigidly to their positions.”
The President said invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to suspend the offices of the governor, deputy governor, and state lawmakers was necessary to arrest “the drift towards anarchy.” The National Assembly promptly endorsed the proclamation, which Tinubu described as a constitutional safeguard for restoring peace and order.
While acknowledging dissenting voices and over 40 legal challenges filed against the proclamation, Tinubu maintained that the step was unavoidable. “It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he said.
Citing fresh intelligence, Tinubu expressed confidence that Rivers stakeholders are now ready to embrace peace and cooperation. “There is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm… for an immediate return to democratic governance,” he said.
The President declared that Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and other lawmakers will return to office on Thursday, September 18.
Tinubu also used the occasion to caution state executives and legislatures across the country against political brinkmanship. “It is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” he said.
The Rivers crisis had sparked nationwide concern earlier this year, with fears of escalating violence over control of the oil-rich state. The lifting of emergency rule marks a return to civil authority after months of federally supervised governance.
