Breaking: President Tinubu DeclaresState of Emergency in Rivers State Amid Political Crisis

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

In a nationwide broadcast, President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the prolonged political crisis in the state, which he said had paralyzed governance and denied citizens the dividends of democracy.

Key Issues Leading to the Emergency Declaration

1. Demolition of the State House of Assembly – The Governor demolished the Assembly complex on December 13, 2023, and failed to rebuild it for over 14 months.

2. Supreme Court Verdict – The apex court ruled that the 27 lawmakers who defected from the PDP to APC remain legitimate members of the House, but the crisis persisted.

3. Security Threats – Reports indicated that militants vandalized oil pipelines while the state government failed to act, prompting federal intervention.

New Leadership Appointed

President Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Administrator of Rivers State to oversee governance during the emergency period. The judiciary will continue to function as usual.

The President assured Nigerians that this intervention is aimed at restoring peace, law, and order, urging all political players to respect constitutional governance. The declaration has been gazetted and forwarded to the National Assembly for approval.

More updates to follow.