President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the cessation of the state of emergency in Rivers State, which was declared on March 18, 2025, due to a breakdown of governance and prolonged political conflict between the executive and legislative arms of the state.
In a national broadcast from the State House on Wednesday, Tinubu said the six-month emergency measure had achieved its purpose and would not be extended beyond its expiration date.
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“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” the President stated.
The Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are expected to resume their offices on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The emergency rule had suspended key political officeholders in the state following months of deadlock, vandalism of vital economic assets, and a constitutional crisis that prompted intervention by the Supreme Court.
“It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation. But with peace and order restored, the people of Rivers State can once again reap the dividends of democracy,” Tinubu affirmed.
He also urged governors and lawmakers across Nigeria to maintain harmony between the executive and legislative arms of government, stressing that peace and good governance remain the bedrock of delivering democratic dividends.