Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday, September 19, 2025, addressed the people of the state in a statewide broadcast marking the end of the six-month emergency rule imposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18.
Governor Fubara described the period as “enormously challenging” but said the state had emerged stronger, with peace and stability restored through the intervention of President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and political leaders in Rivers.
The governor acknowledged that he resisted calls to challenge the constitutionality of the emergency declaration and instead chose cooperation with federal authorities “guided by the conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability, and progress of Rivers State.”
Fubara confirmed that he, along with former Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, had “buried the hatchet” and embraced reconciliation in the state’s best interest.
“We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without the hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule,” he said.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for what he called his “fatherly disposition and decisive interventions” in brokering peace and restoring democratic governance. He also reaffirmed his loyalty to the President.
Fubara reassured Rivers people who remain skeptical of the peace process that their concerns were valid but insisted that “the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war.” He urged citizens to embrace the moment as a “fresh beginning” and commit to unity, inclusiveness, and collective progress.
Looking ahead, the governor pledged to resume full governance by focusing on ongoing infrastructure, education, and healthcare projects. He also promised to work harmoniously with the Rivers State House of Assembly to “recover lost grounds and accelerate the social and economic advancement of our dear State.”
Fubara paid tribute to the resilience of Rivers people during the emergency rule and extended appreciation to stakeholders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups, and the wider public for their prayers and support during the turbulent months.
He specifically thanked President Tinubu, Wike, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, members of the National Assembly, and Rivers lawmakers for their roles in resolving the crisis.
The governor closed his address with a call for unity beyond political and ethnic lines:
“Our diversity is our greatest asset, and our unity the strongest guarantee of our future. We must rise above bitterness and division and channel our energies into rebuilding trust, fostering inclusiveness, and securing a peaceful and prosperous State for all.”
The six-month emergency rule was declared after a fierce political crisis that paralyzed governance in Rivers. Its end restores full democratic authority to Governor Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
