President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the end of the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight, September 17, 2025.
In a statement personally signed, the President said the emergency proclamation, which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months, had achieved its aim of restoring peace and order.
Tinubu explained that he invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution in March 2025 after a breakdown of governance in the state.
Rivers: Tinubu Brokers Peace in Closed-Door Abuja Meeting
According to him, the inability of the governor and the Assembly to work together, coupled with the vandalisation of key economic assets, had thrown Rivers into chaos.
“The situation became so dire that even the Supreme Court held in one of its judgments that there was no government in Rivers State,” the President noted.
He commended the National Assembly for endorsing the proclamation and thanked traditional rulers and residents of Rivers State for their cooperation throughout the period.
Imagine Rivers State without a State of Emergency
Tinubu also acknowledged opposition voices who challenged the decision in court, describing it as a healthy expression of democracy.
With relative calm restored and political stakeholders showing improved understanding, the President said there was no longer any justification for extending the emergency rule.
Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and members of the State Assembly are expected to fully resume their duties on September 18, 2025.
Tinubu urged political leaders nationwide to learn from the Rivers experience and promote peace for the sake of development.
“Only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government can we meet the expectations of our people,” he said.