By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
President Bola Tinubu has officially ended the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight tonight, reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state’s legislative assembly to their full powers.
The announcement, made in a national address on Wednesday, brings a close to a six-month period of direct federal intervention triggered by a crippling political war between the executive and legislative branches that brought governance in the oil-rich state to a standstill.
In his statement, President Tinubu justified the initial emergency proclamation on March 18, 2025, citing a “total paralysis of governance.”
He detailed a deep-rooted crisis where a faction of 27 lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, was locked in a bitter struggle with Governor Fubara, who was backed by only four assembly members.
This impasse prevented the governor from presenting an appropriation bill, cutting off funds for state operations and leading to a breakdown of public order, including vandalism of critical oil infrastructure.
The President noted that the Supreme Court itself had acknowledged there was “no government” in the state.
“Considered objectively, we had reached that situation of total breakdown,” Tinubu stated, defending his decision to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as necessary to avert “anarchy.”
While acknowledging over 40 court challenges to his decision, which he called a normal feature of democracy, the President expressed gratitude to the National Assembly, traditional rulers, and citizens of Rivers State for their support during the emergency period.
The key reason for lifting the order, he revealed, was a “groundswell of a new spirit of understanding” among all stakeholders in the state, indicating a readiness for a return to functional democratic governance.
“Therefore, I do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer,” Tinubu declared.
With the emergency lifted, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and all members of the State House of Assembly are to resume their offices from Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The President concluded with a stern warning to all state governments across the federation, urging them to learn from the Rivers crisis and prioritize harmony to deliver the dividends of democracy.
All eyes will now be on Port Harcourt to see if the warring political factions have truly reconciled or if the power struggle will resume where it left off six months ago.