EMERGENCY RULE IN RIVERS… NASS Backs Tinubu, Niger Delta Leaders Kick

Despite mounting opposition, the National Assembly on Thursday unanimously endorsed the contentious state of emergency declaration in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

The federal legislature waved off the calls by opposition leaders, ordinary Nigerians, senior lawyers, and Niger Delta leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) who had asked the lawmakers to reject the declaration.

The opposition leaders and Niger Delta leaders had pointed out the unconstitutionality of the emergency rule declaration and the wider implications for the once restive region.

However, in a bid to find a middle ground in the light of rising agitations, the federal lawmakers amended the terms of the emergency rule.

The two chambers recommended that the declaration be reviewed or terminated by Mr. President at any given time but no later than six months.

They also recommended the setting up of a National Reconciliation Committee made up of members of the executive, the legislature and eminent Nigerians to resolve the crisis in the state.

Meanwhile, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), went into a closed door meeting upon assumption at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Ibas, who arrived at the Nigerian Airforce base in Port Harcourt at about 11:30am on Thursday, was received by heads of security agencies and other federal government agencies in the state. He later went into a private meeting with them.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the sole administrator, who noted that discussions were still ongoing with security heads, said the situation in the state appears calm and pledged to ensure complete normalcy.

 

Fubara Fires Back

Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed allegations of complicity in the recent attacks on oil pipelines in the state, insisting that he took all necessary steps to prevent criminal elements from carrying out their threats.

Fubara’s response came through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, on Thursday, following President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast in which he accused the embattled governor of negligence and failure to act against militants.

“First, it is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way ‘telegraph’ the reported attacks on any oil facility in the State,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the South-South Governors’ Forum has expressed concern over the recent declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of two democratic institutions, calling for a reconsideration of the decision.

Chairman of the forum, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, said as much as they acknowledged the President’s constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order across the country, the situation in Rivers State does not meet the constitutional threshold for such a declaration.

 

House Gives Nod

The House of Representatives yesterday approved the emergency rule declaration and suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy and the State House of Assembly from office.

It, however, made three amendments to the president’s request.

The House recommended that the state of emergency be reviewed at any time before the six months prescribed in the proclamation when the situation improves.

This followed the amendment by the House Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa (PDP, Gombe) that when there are signs of resolution of the crisis, the President should review the emergency rule.

The Green Chamber also recommended setting up a National Reconciliation Committee made up of members of the executive, the legislature, and eminent Nigerians to bring the warring parties to the table.

Deputy spokesman of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese (APC, Benue) who made the recommendation, said: “…Within the period of the emergency in Rivers State, both the parliament and the executive and other eminent leaders will ensure that we all work together to make sure that the things that led to the emergency rule in Rivers State do not resurface after a period of time,”

The House further resolved that the National Assembly should take over legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly in line with the provisions of section 11(4) of the Constitution.

Hon. Etanabene Benedict moved the amendment to that effect from Delta State.

However, before the debate commenced on the general principles of the request, Hon Obi Aguocha (LP, Abia), raised a point of order to stop the deliberation, citing Section 305 (6b) of the Constitution, which requires that the House must have two-thirds of its members in plenary.

Hon. Frederick Agbedi (PDP, Bayelsa) supported the argument, saying it was important for Nigerians to know that the House was not circumventing the Constitution.

However, Speaker Hon. Abbas Tajudeen overruled them and said that attendance was being taken.

Abbas Tajudeen later announced that 243 members attended the session, satisfying the requirement for the amendment.

When put to voice vote, the request as amended was overwhelmingly approved with thunderous shouts of ‘ayes’ while ‘nay’ was hardly heard.

 

Senate Approves

After about one and a half hours of a closed-door session, the Senate also unanimously endorsed the declaration.

The approval was granted through a voice vote conducted by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, following resolutions adopted during the closed-door session yesterday in Abuja, all of which received unanimous support.

Announcing the resolutions, Akpabio stated, “The Senate, invoking the powers conferred on it by Section 305 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), hereby approves the proclamation of a state of emergency declared by Mr. President in Rivers State.

“The Senate directs that the declaration of the state of emergency as contained in the proclamation may be reviewed or terminated by Mr. President at any given time, but no later than six months.”

The Senate also resolved to invoke Section 11 (4) of the Constitution, empowering the National Assembly to establish a joint ad-hoc committee of both chambers to oversee the administration of Rivers State during the emergency period.

The Senate further resolved to appoint a committee of eminent Nigerians to reconcile the warring groups within the government of Rivers State during the state of emergency.

For final ratification, Akpabio put the proclamation to a voice vote, and it was unanimously adopted.

Following this, the Senate adjourned for one hour, reconvened to pass votes and proceedings of the session, and finally adjourned until Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Earlier, before the Senate moved into the closed-door session, a mild altercation occurred between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West).

Senator Dickson had raised a point of order after Akpabio read the gazette on the proclamation and asked the Senate Leader to guide the chamber toward its expeditious consideration.

As Dickson attempted to raise the point of order, Akpabio interrupted, stating that he was already aware of Dickson’s position, having seen him on television the previous day expressing views that he would not align with the Senate’s stance.

“You are a former governor like myself and now a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let us act in the interest of Nigerians,” Akpabio said.

However, when eventually allowed to speak, Senator Dickson invoked Order 133 of the Senate Standing Rules, which requires deliberations on a state of emergency to be conducted in a closed-door session.

Akpabio, upon hearing this, upheld Dickson’s point of order, after which the Senate moved into a closed-door session where the resolutions on the state of emergency were made.

 

PANEF Reacts

Meanwhile, the apex South South socio-cultural group, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), described the state of emergency declaration as a stab in the back of the Niger Delta by President Tinubu.

PANDEF said it was shocking that the president declared emergency rule in the state barely a week after he received a high level South-South delegation made up of top traditional rulers, former governors, former service chiefs, former ministers and former senators on how to resolve the impasse in the oil rich state.

PANDEF said this in a statement jointly signed by its Board of Trustees (BoT) co-chairman, HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff, Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass; BoT co-chairman, Obong (Arc.) Victor Attah; PANDEF national chairman, Amb. (Dr.) Godknows B. Igali; and national spokesman, Chief (Sir) Obiuwevbi Ominimini.

PANDEF’s request for the National Assembly to reject the emergency rule declaration was ignored as the federal legislature endorsed the president’s proclamation in the state.

Accusing the president of bias, the forum said: “It was quite alarming that on 18th March, 2025, the day before the governor was due to present the budget, the President, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, thereby unilaterally removing the governor, his deputy and the entire House of Assembly.”

The body said while it condemned the blowing up of a pipeline, it wasn’t enough to serve as reference for security breakdown to warrant emergency rule.

“So, why militarise Rivers State, even before security forces have carried out investigations to determine the cause of what has happened and why use the incident as an alibi to declare a state of emergency?

“Many Nigerian states, particularly in the North East, North West and North Central geopolitical zones live with daily assaults on their very existence. Yet, no state of emergency has been declared!

*Additionally, why declare a state of emergency when the Court of Appeal has just reserved its ruling on the fate of the 27 members of the House of Assembly which was pending before it and was not sufficiently concluded by the Supreme Court judgement, and just few days when a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt commenced hearing on the same matter.”

Earlier, concerned political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP), former governors Nasir El-Rufai (SDP), Kayode Fayemi (APC), Rotimi Amaechi (APC) and Abdullahi Adamu (APC) had strongly condemned the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State and suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as well as the state assembly by President Bola Tinubu.

The opposition and ruling party’s leaders called on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist what they described as brazen assault on the country’s Constitution and the institutions of Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking at joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday, they called President Tinubu to immediately revoke the unconstitutional proclamation, and urged members of the National Assembly to vote against the ‘illegal’ action when it came before them for approval.

Tinubu, APC commend NASS

However, President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have lauded the National Assembly for its decisive and patriotic ratification of the state of emergency proclamation in Rivers State, a critical step to restoring stability after a protracted political crisis that paralysed governance in the state and endangered national economic security for over 15 months.

The President specifically commended the National Assembly’s leadership—Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, other principal officers and members—for prioritising the security and welfare of Rivers State people above partisan interests and other considerations.

In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, he further acknowledged the lawmakers’ diligent review of classified security briefings, underscoring the urgent need for intervention to prevent further escalation.

“The crisis in Rivers State was at a perilous tipping point, threatening the security of vital oil and gas installations and undermining the national economy and the significant progress we have made in the reforms initiated since our administration commenced in May 2023,” President Tinubu remarked.

“As I detailed in my address to the nation on 18 March, the near-total collapse of governance, threats to federal economic assets, and the risk of widespread violence left no room for hesitation. This emergency measure is a lifeline to safeguard livelihoods, secure critical infrastructure, and restore democratic accountability.”

The President affirmed that the six-month emergency will empower the newly-appointed Sole Administrator to stabilise Rivers State, address systemic breakdowns, and facilitate dialogue among conflicting parties.

President Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the National Assembly to advance peace, economic resilience, and equitable development across Nigeria.

The President thanked all Nigerians for their understanding and urged all stakeholders to support the restoration of peace in Rivers State.

 

Lawyer, Others Sue President, Senate President

Meanwhile, a legal practitioner and other registered voters in Rivers State have dragged the President and the Senate President to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, following the declaration of state of emergency in the state.

Also joined in the suit, FHC/ABJ//CS/550/2025, well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, as defendants in the suit.

Although the Court is yet to fix a date of hearing of the suit, the Originating Summons read in part:

“Let the defendants answer whether by the provisions of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, a dispute between a governor and a State House of Assembly is a ground for the declaration of a state of emergency.

“Whether by the provisions of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the first defendant has the power to suspend a democratically elected executive and legislative arm of a state government of the federation.

“Whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can nominate or appoint a sole administrator to run the affairs of a state in Nigeria when there is an elected governor, deputy governor and members of the House of Assembly.”