Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has invoked a rarely used provision in the constitution to declare a state of emergency in a troubled oil-producing province.
In a speech that took the nation by surprise, delivered at 20:00 GMT, President Tinubu sought to justify his unprecedented decision.
By the state of emergency, the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state legislature were suspended “for an initial period of six months.”
The President said he arrived at the inevitable decision to restore stability in the state, which has been witnessing political turmoil due to the disagreement between the state governor and the state lawmakers—backed by Tinubu’s ally and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike.
“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,” the President declared.
A Retired General Takes Over
In their stead, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas to administer the state as a Sole Administrator.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) 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,” he said.
The President clarified, however, that the Sole Administrator will have no powers to make laws but could make regulations necessary for the effective running of the state, which must be cleared and promulgated by the presidency.
Read more about the new Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas here.
Legality Of Presidential Powers
Mr. Tinubu relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which suggests that the President is empowered to take emergency measures in extraordinary circumstances where disorder is becoming prevalent.
He alluded to security reports indicating that oil drilling facilities were being targeted by militants in the area, inspired by the political differences.
Tinubu has no legal rights or basis to suspend a democratically elected governor.
— Rinu Oduala 🔥🔫 (@SavvyRinu) March 18, 2025
Even in a state of emergency, section 305 of the Constitution does not give the President power to suspend any Governor or Houses of Assembly from their jobs.
The President took issue with the governor, seeming to place the political impasse in the state at his feet. The presidential address shielded his minister, Nyesom Wike from any blame. Wike is partly credited with helping Tinubu come to power in 2023.
“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,” the President said.
“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.”
Political Ramifications & Reactions
The president hadn’t stood up from his chair after the address when a barrage of protestations resounded from Nigeria’s opposition wing.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar – himself contesting for the presidency since 1992 and positioning for another run in 2027, fired up a post on his official X account.
He criticised the President’s action as “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”
Atiku accused Tinubu of being a “vested partisan actor” in the political conflict in the state, alleging that his administration either enabled or failed to prevent the crisis.
“His blatant refusal or calculated negligence in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful,” Atiku said moments after Tinubu’s addressed was aired.
He further condemned the security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure in Rivers, insisting that the responsibility lies with the President.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility,” he said.
“Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the Federal Government is nothing less than an assault on democracy and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he added.
Atiku also accused Tinubu of reversing the peace achieved in the Niger Delta under former President Umaru Yar’Adua, stating that his administration has thrown the region “back into an era of violent unrest and instability.”
The former Vice President and the now suspended governor Fubara are both in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
PDP Rejects Presidential Action
The PDP rejected the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State, declaring that the President has no such constitutional power to suspend the democratically elected governor of the state.
In a quick follow-up statement Tuesday evening, party spokesman Debo Ologunagba said Tinubu’s proclamation violated the 1999 Constitution.
The PDP spokesman said, “The unconstitutional declaration by President Tinubu of the suspension of the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and appointment of an unelected individual, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) to govern the State is a clear attack on our nation’s democracy, an abrogation of the votes and democratic right of the people of Rivers State to choose their leader under the Constitution.
“The action of Mr. President therefore clearly borders on attempt at state capture.
“It is the climax of a well-oiled plot to forcefully take over Rivers State for which the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been bent on stoking crisis to ensure that democracy is ultimately truncated in the State.
“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
“In any case, nothing in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution relied upon by the President in the declaration grants him the exclusive powers to declare or execute the declaration of a state of emergency without recourse to the statutory approval of the National Assembly.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 305 (2) provides that “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,” he added.
Full Text Of President’s Speech
"Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
"With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
"Also, it is public knowledge 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. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
"On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, 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 pronounced in very clear terms:
“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
"The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members, the Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
"Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
"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. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
"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.
"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.
"Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole."
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