BREAKING: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy, Declares State Of Emergency In Rivers

President Bola Tinubu has announced a state of emergency in Rivers State due to the ongoing political turmoil within the region.

This declaration was made during a nationwide address on Tuesday, during which he suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the House of Assembly for a period of six months.

To oversee the state’s administration during this time, the president has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the interim administrator.

The president’s decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which defines a state of emergency as a scenario involving national peril, disaster, or terrorist threats, allowing the government to suspend standard constitutional processes to restore order.

A state of emergency empowers the President to implement necessary regulations aimed at ensuring public safety and order.

On May 14, 2013, former President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency across the northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, which were plagued by insurgency. A more limited state of emergency was previously declared on December 31, 2011, affecting parts of Yobe, Borno, Plateau, and Niger states, which included the temporary closure of international borders in those areas.

For approximately two months, the conflict and power struggle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his former political ally Fubara over the control of Rivers State’s political landscape appeared to have no resolution.

Reports indicate that pipeline explosions have occurred in the state as political tensions escalated, with civil servants threatening to stage mass protests against the Martins Amaewhule faction in the House of Assembly, which is aligned with Wike.

Tinubu remarked, “Recent security reports indicate that there have been alarming incidents of pipeline vandalism by militants over the past two days, with no action taken by the governor to address these issues.”

I have, of course, issued a firm directive to the security agencies to ensure the safety of the citizens of Rivers State and to protect the oil pipelines.

“In light of these circumstances, no conscientious and responsible President would remain passive while such a serious situation persists without implementing the necessary constitutional measures to rectify the issues in the state, which undoubtedly requires exceptional actions to restore effective governance, peace, order, and security.

“Having carefully considered and assessed the political climate in Rivers State, and noting that the Governor and Deputy Governor have not submitted a request to me as President for this proclamation, as stipulated by section 305(5) of the amended 1999 Constitution, I find it imperative to invoke section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, effective today, March 18, 2025.

“Through this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are hereby suspended for an initial duration of six months.

“In the interim, I appoint Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs in the best interest of the citizens of Rivers State.

“For clarity, this declaration does not impact the judicial branch of Rivers State, which will continue to operate within its constitutional framework.

“The Administrator will not enact new laws; however, he will have the authority to develop regulations deemed necessary for his duties, subject to consideration and approval by the Federal Executive Council and promulgation by the President for the state.”

This statement has been officially released in the Federal Gazette, and a copy has been sent to the National Assembly as mandated by the Constitution.

I sincerely hope that this necessary intervention will contribute to the restoration of peace and order in Rivers State by reminding all political participants of the constitutional obligations that apply to them, both in Rivers State specifically and throughout Nigeria in general.