President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the ongoing political crisis.
The declaration, which will last for an initial six months, was announced in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday.
As part of the emergency measures, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been suspended.
In his address, Tinubu stated:
“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.”
The decision follows months of political tension in the state, which escalated due to disputes over the control of the state assembly and executive authority.
Detail shortly…
