President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday due to the lingering political crisis in the state.
The declaration was preceded by a security meeting the president held with security chiefs and leaders of the National Assembly at the State House on Tuesday.
The President announced the immediate suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. This decisive action aims to restore stability in the oil-rich region, which has been plagued by political infighting and security challenges.
“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,” President Tinubu stated.
To oversee the state’s administration during this period, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as the state’s administrator. This measure is intended to ensure continuity of governance and address the pressing security concerns.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State,” Tinubu announced.
The President invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to legitimize the state of emergency, emphasizing that the action was necessary to address the deteriorating security situation and uphold the rule of law. He assured that the judicial arm of Rivers State would continue to function as mandated by the constitution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate,” he clarified.
President Tinubu expressed hope that this intervention would prompt all political actors in Rivers State to adhere to constitutional principles and work towards peace and order. The declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
“It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole,” the President concluded.
This development follows recent reports of pipeline vandalism by militants and inadequate response by the state government, which have exacerbated the security challenges in the region.
