President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the lifting of the six-month State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State, effective from midnight of Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
With the suspension of emergency rule, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are expected to resume their constitutional duties from Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The State of Emergency was first declared on March 18, 2025, under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, following a breakdown of governance in the oil-rich state. At the time, the legislature and the executive were locked in a bitter standoff, preventing the passage of critical appropriation bills. Rising insecurity, vandalism of oil pipelines, and political violence further justified the Federal Government’s intervention.
During the period, Vice-Admiral (retired) Ibok-Ekwe Ibas served as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, with executive and legislative functions suspended. The judiciary, however, continued to operate throughout the six-month emergency.
In his statement, President Tinubu explained that the decision to end the emergency followed what he described as “a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding among political stakeholders in Rivers State.” He added that the expiration of the six-month period necessitated a return to democratic governance.
The declaration of emergency had been subject to over 40 legal challenges across courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, as political actors and civil society groups questioned its legality. Nonetheless, the National Assembly had given its approval, as required by law.
The lifting of the measure is expected to calm political tensions and reopen the democratic space in Rivers State, one of Nigeria’s most strategic oil-producing states. Analysts say attention will now turn to how Governor Fubara and the State Assembly navigate their differences to ensure stability and good governance.