President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally lifted the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, restoring democratic governance in the state effective midnight today.

The President made the announcement in a national address on Wednesday, noting that the intervention, declared on March 18, 2025, had become necessary following a complete paralysis of governance in Rivers State.

According to Tinubu, the crisis between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly, coupled with vandalism of critical economic assets such as oil pipelines, created a constitutional impasse that brought governance in the state to a standstill.

He recalled that the Supreme Court had also affirmed the absence of functional government in the state during the height of the crisis, further justifying the federal intervention under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” Tinubu said.

During the emergency period, the offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended. The National Assembly promptly endorsed the President’s decision, while over 40 legal challenges were instituted across courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa.

The President commended traditional rulers, Rivers citizens, and other stakeholders for their support during the emergency period, stressing that the measure was never intended to last longer than necessary.

Tinubu expressed satisfaction with recent developments, citing intelligence reports indicating renewed cooperation and enthusiasm among Rivers political actors.

“I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it,” he declared.

With the expiration of the proclamation, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and other Assembly members are expected to resume their duties from Thursday, September 18, 2025.

The President also used the opportunity to caution leaders across the federation, reminding governors and lawmakers that peace and order remain critical to delivering the dividends of democracy.

“The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. However, that expectation will remain unrealizable in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne by misguided political activism,” Tinubu warned.

He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to safeguarding democracy and national stability.\r\n