President Bola Tinubu
Tinubu sacks Rivers State government, appoints milad
Sopuruchi Onwuka
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday sacked the elected officials of Rivers State government in the country’s first state of emergency declaration since return of democracy in 1999, replacing the suspended executive and legislature with a military administrator for the state.
In a national broadcast on the political impasse that has the hands of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nysom Wike, the president stated that the action became necessary when the warring parties involved would not allow any solution to the crisis.
“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,” President Tinubu declared in a national broadcast.
“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,” President Tinubu stated.
The president also stated that he has given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
He explained that there would have been no way that democratic governance would redound to the benefit of the good people of the state with the crisis persisting. He noted that the state has been at a standstill since the crisis started.
In apportioning blames, President Tinubu remained silent on the role of the FCT Minister in the crisis and emphasized 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 same.”
He said all interventions for a peaceful resolution of the crisis were ignored by the contending parties. He also pointed at the judgment of the Supreme Court “based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it.”
He cited the pronouncement of the court where it stated that “there is no government in Rivers State,” following the collapse the legislature.
“The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara,” Tinubu stated.
The president also blamed the governor for failing to respond to threats by militants against his opponents, noting that Governor Fubara “has up till now NOT disowned them.”
He also blamed the governor for not taking any action to curtail the militants ahead of the latest incidents of vandalization of pipelines.
“Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.” He also pointed out, adding that “both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.”
“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.
“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,” Tinubu stated.
