Obi, PDP, others kick as Tinubu suspends Fubara, Deputy, Assembly members for six months
…Appoints former Naval Chief as Rivers Administrator
…PDP rejects emergency rule, says it undermines democracy
…Tinubu is rehearsing for 2027 — Bode George
By Sodiq Adelakun and Ismail Azeez
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the state’s governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The declaration, made during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, followed ongoing political turmoil and security concerns that have plagued the state for months.
In his speech, President Tinubu emphasised the gravity of the situation, noting that the continuous instability in the state had left it unable to function democratically, thereby denying its citizens the benefits of good governance.
“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant 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 lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines,” he said.
“With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby 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 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 provision 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.”
He further cited a series of constitutional violations committed by the state’s leadership, referencing a Supreme Court ruling in February 2025 that declared Rivers State to be without a functioning government due to the collapse of its legislature under Governor Fubara’s actions.
The court had ruled that the legislature, a core component of the state’s governance, was unlawfully disbanded by Fubara in December 2023.
In his address, Tinubu stressed that the actions of the governor and the legislature had undermined the rule of law and constitutional democracy in the state.
Despite repeated calls for reconciliation and intervention, both the governor and the House had failed to restore constitutional order, prompting the President to take decisive action.
“As a responsible leader, I cannot stand by and allow the grave situation to continue unchecked. The situation requires extraordinary measures to restore peace, order, and security,” President Tinubu stated.
He further explained that, as required by the Constitution, he was compelled to invoke Section 305 to declare a state of emergency and implement a six-month suspension of the state’s political leadership.
In the same vein, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator of Rivers State.
“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 their constitutional mandate.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated 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 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.”
Meanwhile, Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has weighed in on the crisis in Rivers State. In a statement, Obi expressed concern over the erosion of democratic principles in Nigeria.
“Sixty years after independence and nearly 30 years of unbroken civil rule, our democracy is still marred by undemocratic practices,” Obi lamented.
Obi called for peace and urged all parties involved to prioritize the welfare of the people of Rivers State, rather than political ambitions.
“I appeal to all leaders involved to reflect on their actions and consider the suffering of the people of Rivers State,” he said. “This crisis should not be about politics or power struggles, but about ensuring a better future for the citizens.”
Likewise, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vehemently rejected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing the move as a “clear attack on democracy.”
This was contained in a statement signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary.
According to the PDP, President Tinubu’s action is a gross violation of the 1999 Constitution, which undermines the votes and will of the people of Rivers State.
The party stated that the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not justified under the 1999 Constitution, rendering it “completely incompetent.”
“The PDP alerts that the unwarranted imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State is part of the larger vicious plot to foist a siege mentality across Nigeria, decimate opposition, impose a totalitarian one-Party State and turn the country into a fiefdom,” the statement read.
In a critique of the President’s action, the PDP quoted Section 305 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which states: “The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation including the details of the emergency to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House of which he is President or Speaker, as the case may be, to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the proclamation.”
The PDP argued that President Tinubu’s failure to obtain the statutory approval of the National Assembly before declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State renders his action illegal.
The party cautioned Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) against taking any action that could derail smooth democratic governance in Rivers State, emphasising that Governor Fubara was democratically elected for a tenure of four years, which cannot be unconstitutionally abridged.
Also, Chief Bode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, echoed the party’s concerns, condemning Tinubu’s move as a “blatant disregard for constituted authority.”
George likened the situation to previous political crises in Nigeria, claiming that Tinubu’s actions could be setting the stage for authoritarian rule.
“This is reckless. What did Governor Fubara do to deserve this? Tinubu has already destabilised Rivers State by giving security forces to Wike,” George said, referring to the former governor of the state.
“This is how political crises started in 1962 and 1983. What is happening in Rivers is a dress rehearsal for what Tinubu wants to achieve in 2027.”
George also questioned the legality of the President’s actions, pointing out that no National Assembly approval had been sought before the state of emergency was declared. “Is this how democracy works? Is Tinubu now a civilian dictator?” he asked.
