Tinubu announces end of emergency rule in Rivers, orders return of Fubara

In a significant move towards strengthen democracy, Nigerian President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, declared that the emergency rule in Rivers State, which began on March 18, 2025, will officially come to an end at midnight.

In a statement he personally signed, Tinubu expressed his optimism about the current situation in the state, saying, “I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance.”

He further clarified his stance on the need for democratic processes to resume, stating, “I do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.”

Following this announcement, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, along with the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, are set to return to their official duties on September 18, 2025.

Tinubu concluded by urging all state leaders to prioritize peace and effective governance, emphasizing, “It is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.”

Source: Daily Trust