President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, citing a prolonged political crisis that has brought governance to a “standstill” and threatened national security. The announcement, broadcast nationwide, suspends Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
In a stern address, Tinubu expressed dismay over the collapse of constitutional order in the oil-rich state, accusing Governor Fubara of “grave unconstitutional acts,” including the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly in December 2023. The building remains unreconstructed 14 months later.
“I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail,” Tinubu said, lamenting failed interventions by himself and other leaders. “My efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis.”
The President referenced a February 28 Supreme Court ruling that declared Rivers State effectively “without a government” after Fubara allegedly collapsed the legislative arm. The court had ordered the immediate passage of an Appropriation Bill to restore constitutional democracy, but Tinubu stated compliance never materialized.
Quoting the judgment, Tinubu emphasized: “A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms… The head of the executive arm has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern as a despot.”
Tinubu linked the political deadlock to rising security risks, including pipeline vandalism by militants allegedly tied to the governor. “Some militants threatened fire and brimstone against perceived enemies of the governor, who has up till now NOT disowned them,” he said, adding that Fubara took “no action” to curb the violence.
The President confirmed he had ordered security agencies to “ensure the safety of lives… and oil pipelines,” critical to Nigeria’s economy.
Invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu justified the emergency declaration as “inevitably compelling” given the failure of state leadership to request federal intervention. Retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas was named Administrator to oversee Rivers State, though the judiciary will remain operational.
The Administrator cannot enact new laws but may draft regulations subject to Federal Executive Council approval. Tinubu stressed the move aimed to “restore peace and order… by awakening all contenders to constitutional imperatives.”
The declaration, published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly, drew immediate criticism from Fubara’s supporters, who called it an overreach. However, Tinubu’s administration insists the measure is temporary and necessary to revive democracy in the state.
“It is my fervent hope this intervention will restore peace,” Tinubu concluded, urging unity for a “secure and democratic Rivers State… and Nigeria as a whole.”
The suspension of elected officials marks Nigeria’s first state of emergency since 2013, underscoring the deepening rift between federal and state authorities amid nationwide political tensions.
