President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a State Of Emergency in Rivers State, suspending the seating Governor Siminalayi Fubara; Deputy Gov Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the State House of Assembly for six months, following the protracted political crisis in the State.
The protracted feud and power tussle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; and the Govenor Fubara over the control of the political structure in the oil-rich Rivers State as heightened tension with reported pipelines explosions in the state and civil servants threatening mass protests against the Martins Amaewhule led group in the House of Assembly.
The President therefore relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation, nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as Sole Administrator to take charge of the State affairs for the first six months.
Tinubu stated that, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a State Of Emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.”
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”
