President Bola Tinubu has ended the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, allowing Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials to resume office amid calls for lasting peace and legislative cooperation.
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced the end of the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State, restoring Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly to office from midnight September 18. Tinubu declared, “It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today,” citing a “groundswell of a new spirit of understanding” among political actors.
Tinubu imposed emergency rule on March 18 after violent clashes, legislative splits, and attacks on vital oil pipelines during a fierce power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas served as sole administrator during the federal takeover.
While the All Progressives Congress gained political ground through local elections held under the emergency, analysts warn that tensions remain. Legal experts insist the Supreme Court must still rule on the constitutionality of Tinubu’s action to clarify presidential powers despite the measure’s expiration.