Text of the Broadcast by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Declaring State of Emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Fellow Nigerians,
I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State, for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now—fourteen (14) months after—not rebuilt the same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thought, and patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court, in a judgment on about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, ruled on several grave unconstitutional acts and the disregard of the rule of law committed by the Governor of Rivers State. The court, in clear terms, pronounced:
“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case, the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is, there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalog of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected “are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members,” the Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly, which, up till now, has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemies of the governor, who has, up till now, not disowned them.
Apart from that, both the House and the governor have not been able to work together. Both do not realize that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of the vandalization of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course, given stern orders to the security agencies to ensure the safety of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which, no doubt, requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order, and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, and with 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 provisions 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. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with its constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. However, he will be free to formulate necessary regulations to execute his duties, but such regulations will require consideration and approval by the Federal Executive Council and promulgation by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State, in particular, and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure, and democratic Rivers State.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
