President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday night, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, thereby suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, for an initial period of six months.
In their place, Tinubu has appointed a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, as the Sole Administrator of the State.
Tinubu said his decisions were to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the State bedevilled by political crisis for almost two years.
Tinubu said the prolonged political crisis has crippled governance and threatened security in the oil-rich region.
In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu said his administration had exhausted all avenues for peaceful resolution but was left with no choice as democratic institutions in the state had been systematically undermined.
“The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of Rivers unable to access the dividends of democracy,” the President said.
He accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of dismantling the state legislature by demolishing the House of Assembly complex in December 2023 and failing to rebuild it.
Tinubu also pointed to a recent Supreme Court ruling that faulted the governor’s actions, describing them as unconstitutional and detrimental to democratic governance.
He said: “Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
“With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state.
“The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
“Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same.
“I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
“On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms.
“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended,” Tinubu quoted the court as saying
The President further said that security reports indicated acts of vandalism by militants in Rivers State, which he claimed the governor had failed to address.
He assured citizens that security agencies had been directed to restore order and safeguard critical infrastructure.
With immediate effect, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. In their place, he appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the state’s Administrator.
“The Administrator will not make new laws but will oversee governance in the interest of the good people of Rivers State,” Tinubu said, adding that the judicial arm would continue to function independently.
President Tinubu expressed concern over security threats, including recent acts of pipeline vandalism by militants in the state.
He criticised Governor Fubara for failing to take action against these threats and noted that certain militant groups had issued threats against individuals perceived as enemies of the governor.
“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them,” Tinubu stated.
He assured Nigerians that he had ordered security agencies to take immediate measures to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure in Rivers State.
Citing the gravity of the situation, Tinubu explained that he had been left with no choice but to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to declare a state of emergency.
He noted that neither the governor nor the deputy governor had requested federal intervention, as required by Section 305(5).
“In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March 2025, and I so do,” he declared.
The emergency proclamation has been published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly in line with constitutional provisions.
Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) will assume control of the state’s administration but will not have the power to enact new laws.
However, he will be permitted to formulate necessary regulations, subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and promulgation by the President.
Tinubu expressed hope that this intervention would restore order in Rivers State and reaffirm constitutional governance.
“This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole,” he stated.
The President concluded his address by calling for unity and stability in Rivers State and the nation.
“Long live a united, peaceful, secure, and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole,” he added.
