Nigeria: Tinubu Regime Suspends Illegal State Of Emergency Rule In Rivers State

The Bola Tinubu-led regime has suspended the illegal state of emergency rule in Rivers State, effective midnight Thursday, after a six-month standdown order imposed on March 18, 2025.

As announced on Wednesday, the Tinubu-led regime said, “Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and the State House of Assembly will resume their constitutional duties from September 18, 2025.”

It will be recalled that the illegal suspension of March 18 was imposed following the political crisis that started with a conflict between Fubara and the state lawmakers believed to be supporters of former governor Nyesom Wike at the State House of Assembly.

Out of the 32 lawmakers, only four stood with the governor. At the same time, 27 opposed him and backed Speaker Martins Amaewhule, who had accused him of gross misconduct, leading to a halt in state budget passage and by extension, state functions were halted.

As a result, Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution on Rivers State, imposing a six-month removal of Governor Fubara, his Deputy, and all State House of Assembly members from their duly elected offices, and in their replacement, he imposed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as sole administrator to run the oil-rich state.

The end of the six-month state of emergency, however, has been described by Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, as a “constitutional breach that will hurt democracy for a long time.”

Related News: Wahala Group Calls Fubara’s Suspension “Coup-de-soul”, Says it is Unconstitutional and Tinubu is a Dictator

Similarly, Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, described the suspension as “illegal” and said that Tinubu “had no power to suspend a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers”.

The shenanigans only signpost the dictatorship of the Tinubu administration,” Abubakar added.

Tinubu, in his statement, noted that the total paralysis of governance in the state, critical oil assets’ vandalism, and the Supreme Court ruling that there was no government in the state led to the six-month State of Emergency rule.

Now suspended as the six-month imposition elapses, Tinubu stated, “I am happy today that with a new spirit of understanding among stakeholders, the emergency shall end at midnight.”

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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