BREAKING: Tinubu Declares State of Emergency in Rivers State, Suspends Fubara, Lawmakers ...Apoint Ibok-Ette Ibas as Adminstrator
By Missang AKPET
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for a period of six months.
In a national broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu explained that the suspension was part of efforts to protect the interests of the state.
“Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together. Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
“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.
“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.
“In the interim, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to oversee the affairs of the state for the benefit of the people of Rivers State. To clarify, this declaration does not impact the judicial arm of Rivers State, which will continue to operate within its constitutional mandate,” Tinubu said.
