ABUJA, Nigeria—Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has announced the immediate end of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, declaring that elected officials will return to their posts. The emergency rule, which had suspended the governor, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly, expired on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
In a statement from the presidency, Mr. Tinubu said the emergency had been necessary to address a “total paralysis of governance” caused by a political conflict. He said the state’s governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, along with the state assembly members, would resume their duties on Thursday.
The intervention, which began on March 18, 2025, was triggered by a political feud between Governor Fubara and Minister Nyesom Wike, as well as isolated incidents of pipeline vandalism. The president maintained that the action was constitutionally justified and had been supported by the National Assembly. He acknowledged that over 40 lawsuits had been filed to challenge the declaration but stressed that it was a necessary step to “arrest the drift towards anarchy.”
According to the president, intelligence reports indicate a “new spirit of understanding” among political stakeholders in Rivers, which he said justified ending the emergency at its expiration. He urged other state leaders to prioritise harmony between the executive and legislative branches of government.
During the six-month period, the state was administered by a Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
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