President Bola Tinubu has announced the end of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, clearing the way for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to return to office on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The decision was made public on Wednesday through a statement released by the Presidency.
Tinubu recalled that the emergency was first declared on March 18, 2025, after political conflict between Governor Fubara and 27 lawmakers loyal to the House Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, led to a complete breakdown of governance in the state. The Supreme Court had even ruled at the time that there was “no government in Rivers State.”
“To arrest the drift towards anarchy, I had no choice but to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to proclaim the state of emergency,” Tinubu explained. “The offices of the governor, deputy governor, and elected members of the House of Assembly were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025.”
During the emergency, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) served as the Sole Administrator of the state.
The President admitted that the declaration sparked over 40 lawsuits but defended his action as constitutionally justified. “It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he said.
Tinubu expressed relief that tensions in Rivers have now calmed. “From the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, readiness, and enthusiasm among political stakeholders for an immediate return to democratic governance,” he noted.
He praised this progress as “a remarkable achievement” and said there was no reason to extend the emergency beyond its initial six months.
The President also used the occasion to urge governors and lawmakers across the country to work in harmony. “The executive and legislative arms must cooperate so that Nigerians can enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he advised.
With the emergency lifted, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Odu, and Speaker Amaewhule are expected to resume their duties immediately.
