President Bola Tinubu has lifted the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, announcing that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly will return to office from Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The Presidency confirmed the decision in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the emergency rule, declared on March 18, 2025, was aimed at addressing what Tinubu described as the “total paralysis of governance” in the state.
The political crisis in Rivers had stemmed from a prolonged dispute between Governor Fubara and 27 lawmakers loyal to the House Speaker, Martins Amaewhule. The rift left the state effectively without a functioning government, a situation the Supreme Court also highlighted in one of its rulings, declaring there was “no government in Rivers State.”
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today,” Tinubu said in the statement. He added that Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the state legislature would resume their constitutional roles immediately.
The move marks a significant step in restoring normal governance in Rivers after months of political tension and legal disputes.
