BREAKING: Tinubu Lifts State Of Emergency On Rivers, Restores Democratic Rule

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday evening, announced the end of the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, declaring that democratic governance would fully resume in the oil-rich state from September 18.

The President, in a statement personally signed by him, said his decision followed what he described as “a groundswell of new understanding” among political stakeholders in Rivers State, six months after he proclaimed emergency rule in the state.

Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to suspend the offices of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and the 32-member State House of Assembly.

The decision came after months of bitter political conflict that paralysed governance in the state, with the Assembly split between a pro-Speaker bloc of 27 lawmakers and a pro-Governor group of four.

The President said the suspension, which lasted six months and expires at midnight of September 17, was necessary to avert what he called “a drift towards anarchy” following the inability of the two arms of government to work together, as well as the vandalisation of critical economic assets, including oil pipelines.

“From the intelligence available to me, there is now a robust readiness and potent enthusiasm on the part of all stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” Tinubu stated.

With the emergency lifted, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Odu, and Speaker Martins Amaewhule are expected to resume their constitutional roles on Thursday.

The President acknowledged that his proclamation attracted over 40 court cases in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, but insisted the measure was unavoidable given the judgement of the Supreme Court at the time, which declared that governance had collapsed in Rivers State.

“It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he maintained.

Tinubu, however, commended the National Assembly for swiftly approving the emergency declaration in March, as well as the traditional rulers and residents of Rivers State for their cooperation throughout the period.

He urged governors and lawmakers across the country to draw lessons from the crisis, stressing that democracy could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, order, and mutual respect between the executive and legislature.

“The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. That expectation will remain unrealizable in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne by misguided political activism,” Tinubu warned.

The President concluded by reminding elected officials nationwide that the dividends of democracy can only be delivered in an environment of stability.