PRESIDENT TINUBU DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE, SUSPENDS GOVERNOR AND ASSEMBLY

President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State due to a prolonged political crisis and governance paralysis.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, he expressed deep concern over the situation, noting that despite interventions, no resolution was in sight.

The crisis escalated when Governor Siminalayi Fubara demolished the State House of Assembly on December 13, 2023, and failed to rebuild it over the subsequent fourteen months. The Supreme Court, on February 28, 2025, ruled that the absence of a functional legislature meant there was effectively no government in Rivers State.

In response, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

He appointed Retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, as the Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs during this period. The judiciary remains unaffected and will continue its constitutional functions.

This decisive action aims to restore peace, order, and constitutional governance in Rivers State, ensuring the well-being of its citizens and the integrity of its institutions.