FG Defends Emergency Rule In Rivers State

The federal government has defended President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a necessary step to prevent a complete breakdown of governance and a threat to national stability.

Attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, speaking at a special edition of Meet the Press at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, stated that the President had exhausted all diplomatic means before taking the drastic step.

Meanwhile, the emergency declaration caused an upset among members of the National Assembly yesterday who were expected to deliberate on the president’s emergency declaration in the oil-rich state.

All eyes are on the National Assembly, which is expected to debate the declaration within 48 hours. A two-thirds majority is required from the federal legislature to validate the president’s action.

However, in the Senate yesterday, deliberation on the declaration was dramatically shelved even after it was initially highlighted for discussion by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The House of Representatives, on the other hand, witnessed a mild drama on its floor when two female legislators from Rivers and Bayelsa states of the House exchanged words over the president’s emergency declaration in the state.

While the drama in the National Assembly lasted, President Tinubu swore in Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired) as the sole administrator of Rivers State.

Speaking to State House correspondents after his swearing-in, Ibas said his priority would be restoring peace and order in Rivers State.

“The president made it clear in his address that the key issue is maintaining law and order,” he said.

In a national broadcast on Tuesday, President Tinubu said he was invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

The President cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as justification for the emergency measure. He also appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, as the state’s sole administrator.

The declaration has since attracted a lot of criticisms from the Organised Labour, the legal community, opposition parties and leaders, and civil society organisations, who have insisted that the declaration is unconstitutional and must be reversed.

But defending the president’s declaration yesterday, the attorney general of the federation, Fagbemi said the President acted timeously.

Fagbemi noted that the crisis in Rivers State had been ongoing for months, with several attempts at mediation failing.

He added that the political turmoil in Rivers was putting Nigeria’s economic lifeline at risk.

The crisis escalated following a Supreme Court ruling on February 20, 2025, which Fagbemi said played a key role in the President’s decision.

The court had ruled that Governor Fubara had repeatedly violated constitutional provisions and acted in a manner akin to a despot, concluding that governance had collapsed in Rivers.

“These are very serious and very weighty allegations that only an irresponsible head of state or leader will fold his arms and ignore,” Fagbemi stated.

He added that the Rivers House of Assembly had been crippled since the end of 2023, after the governor demolished its building and relocated a faction of lawmakers to the Government House.

Fagbemi further argued that the judiciary had done its job, and it was now the duty of the government to ensure the Supreme Court’s ruling was respected.

“By virtue of certain provisions of the Constitution, everybody has a duty to ensure that judgments of the court are obeyed, particularly coming from the highest court in the land,” he said.

The attorney general and minister of justice also linked the emergency rule to security threats, accusing the Rivers governor of emboldening militants and failing to act when pipelines were being vandalised.

“When he [Fubara] beckoned to them that he would let them know when it was time to act, did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. A week after, they swung into action, vandalising oil pipelines,” he stated.

Fagbemi stressed that Nigeria still relies heavily on oil revenue, and any disruption in Rivers posed a direct threat to national stability.

The declaration of a state of emergency has sparked widespread debate, with critics questioning its necessity and accusing the federal government of favouring Nyesom Wike, Fubara’s political rival and now minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

However, Fagbemi dismissed such claims.

“I’ve heard this funny argument—sorry for saying it’s funny because it doesn’t make any sense to me—that the President is playing the playbook of the minister of the FCT.

“Where do you put the Minister of FCT in this case? Was he the one who asked for the demolition of the House of Assembly? Was he the one who said the governor should not present his budget to the House of Assembly?” he asked.

He urged those opposed to the decision to direct their concerns to the National Assembly, which must approve the emergency rule within 48 hours.

“If the National Assembly feels that the President has not done well, then he will not have the two-thirds majority required to validate his action,” he said.

When asked whether the emergency rule was a compromise to prevent Governor Fubara’s impeachment, Fagbemi admitted that the suspension may have saved him from being removed completely.

He suggested that the six-month suspension may offer Fubara a chance to return to office if stability is restored.

However, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has argued that the political crisis in Rivers did not justify emergency rule, but Fagbemi has insisted that the decision was within constitutional limits.

“A state of emergency is an extraordinary situation demanding the suspension of the normal functioning of government,” he explained.

Fagbemi also addressed concerns over whether Rivers State’s funds would remain frozen during the emergency period.

“When the administrator comes in, he may request these funds, and to me, it will be in order to release that fund because the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things,” he said.

With the state of emergency now in effect, all eyes are on the National Assembly, which must decide whether to approve or reject Tinubu’s decision.

“If the National Assembly feels that the President has not done well, then you won’t have the two-thirds majority required to validate his action.

“But for now, we must all put on our patriotism cap,” Fagbemi said.

Clash In House of Reps

In what could pass for the mood in the lower chamber, two lawmakers – Hon. Marie Ebikake (PDP, Bayelsa) and Hon. Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers), engaged in a shouting match on the constitutionality or otherwise of the president’s decision before the commencement of plenary.

Lawmakers were also seen in groups discussing the issue ahead of the commencement of the day’s plenary.

Meanwhile, confusion trailed President Tinubu’s official communication to the House over his declaration as provided for, by the Constitution.

Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Akin Rotimi, had said the House would read the President’s communication regarding his declaration during plenary on Wednesday, but that was not done until the sitting was moved to Thursday.

“Mr President’s formal letter, informing the House of Representatives of his decision and seeking approval in line with Section 305 of the Constitution, has been transmitted and will be read during plenary tomorrow, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with further legislative action to be debated and decided,” he had said.

A ranking member of the House, Hon. Adegboyega Isiaka, told journalists that the parliament had yet to receive the communication but had until Thursday to receive it from President Tinubu.

Reacting to the debate over the constitutionality of the declaration, he said, “I’m not a lawyer, I’ve not looked at that very deeply. But whatever it is, that can be tested. But a leader has to take a step, and I think that is what has happened.

“In terms of it coming to the House, we also expected that that would happen today, but it has not happened. But I think the law also allows that, that can be done within 48 hours. So the 48 hours is still within the time frame. So let’s see what happens tomorrow, and then we can take it down from there.”

However, spokesperson of opposition lawmakers’ coalition, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) described Tinubu’s declaration on Rivers State as an unconstitutional overreach.

He said,  “The President does not have the power to suspend a democratically elected governor, deputy governor, and House of Assembly. Where did he get the power to appoint an administrator? That position is unknown to law.

“This decision sets a dangerous precedent. If we allow an elected governor to be suspended today, tomorrow, a president could be suspended under the same guise. I will not support this move, and I believe any true democrat should resist it,” he added.

Senate adjourns debate on Tinubu’s letter

The Senate after acknowledging receipt of a communication from President Tinubu on the declaration, however deferred debate on it to today.

During plenary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), had invoked Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) to call for the postponement of the debate.

The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Following this, the chamber moved on to the second item on the Order Paper.

Interestingly, the upper chamber had initially proposed to deliberate on it at 3pm yesterday before it suddenly decided to move it to today.

Navy Takes Over Rivers Govt House As Ibas Resumes

Naval ratings from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER have taken over security at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, upon the resumption of the sole administrator, Ibok Ete Ibas.

When LEADERSHIP visited Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Naval ratings were fully in charge of security protocols at the main gate while there were few policemen and personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

However, as of the time of this report, the situation in the state capital was calm as residents went about their businesses.

Fubara calls for calm

Suspended Rivers State Governor Fubara has called on the people of the state to remain peaceful and law-abiding following the declaration of state of emergency in the state by President Bola Tinubu.

He accused the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly of frustrating all efforts to find a solution to the state’s political crisis.

In a statement he personally signed, Fubara promised to engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive.

He said even in the face of the political impasse, he remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of the people above all else.

He said, “Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.

“Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people.

“Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance has continued, salaries have been paid, and great projects were being executed to move the state forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch,” he said.

Labour Demands Immediate Reversal Of State Of Emergency

Nigeria’s organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has also condemned the federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional overreach and a direct assault on democracy.

In a joint statement signed by NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero and TUC president Comrade Festus Osifo yesterday, the labour centres criticised the move, stating that it blatantly violates part II, Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and undermined the principles of democratic governance.

The two labour leaders warned that such actions erode constitutional governance and create instability, adding that no democratic society can thrive when elected officials are removed arbitrarily.

Emergency Declaration, Greatest Threat To Our Democracy – PDP Govs

Similarly, governors elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have faulted President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers State, saying it is the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy yet.

The governors, under the aegis of the PDP Governors’ Forum, who cautioned the president that his action was an ill wind that would not blow anyone any good, urged him to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason and reverse the “atrocious and retrograde decision before it is too late.”

The forum’s chairman, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, made the opposition governors’ position known in a statement early Wednesday.

The statement said, “It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard-won democracy but will also exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, destroy the economy, and our national cohesion and stability.”

For his part, Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers state and immediate past minister of transport, called on well-meaning Nigerians to speak up, especially the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, which he believes can “reverse the President’s unlawful actions.”

He said the president does not have the power to remove an elected governor from office by a proclamation.

“The unlawful suspension of elected democratic institutions in my dear Rivers State points to a brazen attempt at power grab in the state by forces and persons who do not have such constitutional powers. The unfolding events in Rivers State in the past months point to a clear orchestrated plot by some persons to unconstitutionally perpetrate and impose themselves on the people.”

Rivers Women condemn Tinubu’s action

Also, the women of Rivers State have also condemned the state of emergency imposed on their state, saying the charges levelled against the suspended Governor Fubara were false.

The women, under the aegis of Women United for Sim, expressed regret that the state would be under military rule in a civilian administration.

Speaking with journalists during a prayer session of the women at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt yesterday, Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, stated that the political crisis is a battle for the economic soul of Rivers State.

Former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, also decried the emergency declaration.

NNPP Condemns Tinubu’s Emergency Rule In Rivers

Speaking in similar vein, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) national publicity secretary, Ladipo Johnson declared that the action of the president was not only unconstitutional but also “an absurd political decision and a very dangerous precedent”.

TNP Explosion Caused By Sabotage, Group Declares

Meanwhile, a group, the Niger Delta Intelligentsia Team (NDIT), has fingered the political upheaval in Rivers State as responsible for Monday night’s explosion of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).

The explosion, which occurred at Bodo community in Gokana local government area of the state, resulted in a huge spill of crude oil on the environment along with associated inferno.

It is widely feared that the sad incident happened on the heels of threats by some Niger Delta groups and individuals who are moving against attempts by political gladiators to impeach the governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in the heat of the ongoing political crisis.

Even though the cause of the Bodo explosion is yet to be ascertained, the group strongly believes that the explosion was highly politically motivated.

Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt, NDIT general secretary, Nse Victor Udoh, stated that though information about the explosion was still sketchy he suspected the explosion was a politically motivated attack.