President Bola Tinubu has announced a state of emergency in Rivers State due to the ongoing political turmoil in the region and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd) as the new Rivers State Administrator for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu delivered this announcement at a national address on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all House of Assembly members for an initial period of six months.
He voiced significant worry regarding the escalating crisis in the state, pointing out that all past attempts at mediation have been unsuccessful.
He also pointed to the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly by Governor Siminalayi Fubara in December 2023 and the subsequent failure to reconstruct it as a major violation of the constitution. He also mentioned the Supreme Court ruling on February 28, which determined that the governor had effectively dismantled the legislature, thus undermining democratic governance.
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision, Tinubu remarked: “A government cannot be regarded as functional without one of the three branches that constitute a state government under the 1999 Constitution. In this instance, the head of the executive branch has opted to dissolve the legislature to permit his rule without it, essentially as a tyrant. Currently, there is no functioning government in Rivers State.”
The President also pointed to increased militant activity, pipeline vandalism, and security threats, claiming that Governor Fubara has neglected to tackle these issues or to distance himself from groups making threats in his name.
According to Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, a state of emergency is a condition of national peril or catastrophe in which a government halts normal constitutional processes to reestablish control.
