Tinubu Set to Lift Rivers Emergency Rule, Reinstate Governor Fubara
President Bola Tinubu is set to end the emergency rule in Rivers State and reinstate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly before the end of July.
This follows a peace deal brokered between Fubara and his estranged political mentor, Nyesom Wike.
Presidency sources confirmed at the weekend that Tinubu reached the decision after a closed-door reconciliation meeting held Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. In attendance were Governor Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike, suspended Speaker Martin Amaewhule, and several lawmakers.
The Rivers political crisis reached a tipping point on March 18, 2025, when Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state. The President suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all 32 members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. The move followed months of escalating tensions between Fubara and Wike.
The crisis, which erupted in October 2023, stemmed from a power struggle over control of the state’s political machinery. The feud saw 27 pro-Wike lawmakers initiate impeachment proceedings against Fubara, accusing him of gross misconduct.
Tinubu first intervened in October 2023, convening a peace meeting at the Villa. However, the agreement reached at the time quickly unravelled, leading to renewed hostilities and eventually, the declaration of emergency rule by the president.
However, the March suspension of the elected state leadership and the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator led to widespread national debate, with legal experts questioning the constitutionality of the President’s action.
Although the emergency proclamation was set to expire in September, fresh indications from Presidency sources now suggest that Fubara’s reinstatement will come earlier than expected.
