Thousands of the people of Rivers State are currently gathered in front of the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday, awaiting the arrival of the reinstated Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Different groups and other supporters of Governor Fubara were in jubilant mood, beating drums and dancing while awaiting the arrival of the governor.
President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday evening announced the suspension of the state of emergency imposed on the state, thereby restoring democratically elected governor, His deputy and members of the State House of Assembly.
Recall that Tinubu had on March 18, 2025, declared stated of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, and the elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months over protracted political crisis.
The emergency declaration came amid a deep political crisis in Rivers, characterised by conflict between Fubara and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Among the flashpoints was the bombing and demolition of the House of Assembly complex in late 2023 and disputes over legislative membership and legitimacy.
There were allegations of widespread pipeline vandalism by militants, and governance was considered paralysed due to constitutional breaches, including a Supreme Court decision that later criticised the governor’s handling of the Assembly matter as tantamount to “despotism,” and stated that there was “no functioning government” in Rivers.
As part of his measures, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired) as the sole administrator to run the affairs of the state during the emergency period. Judicial institutions were left intact.
In his state-wide broadcast on Thursday morning, the outgone sold administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, pleaded with political actors in the state to sustain the peace and unity created by his administration.
