Tinubu Declares State of Emergency, Appoints Ibok Ete Ibas As Interim Administrator In Rivers State

The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing escalating security challenges and a breakdown of governance.

In a national broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, President Tinubu noted a series of persistent incidents including pipeline vandalism in the state, which, he claimed, have been exacerbated by the failure of local authorities, including the state governor, to take decisive action.

Section 305 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution was invoked by the President, granting him the legal basis for the declaration. Tinubu said it had become “inevitably compelling” for him to take this step, in light of the deteriorating security situation.

As part of the emergency declaration, Governor Fubara, his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been suspended for six months.

In the meantime, Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) has been appointed as the interim Administrator of the state to oversee its affairs.

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The President stressed the “declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.”

Under the new administration, no new laws will be introduced, but the focus will be on formulating regulations aimed at stabilising the state and addressing immediate security concerns.

In his broadcast, President Tinubu explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had reached a point where democratic governance could no longer function.

He noted that the governor’s demolition of the state’s House of Assembly in December 2023, and his failure to rebuild it, had left the state’s government inoperable.

Despite several interventions from both the President and other Nigerian leaders, the crisis persisted.
This move has raised questions about the state’s political future, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming weeks.