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By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said that he accepted the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu with the firm conviction that no sacrifice is too great to secure peace, stability, and progress in Rivers State.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Fubara explained that he chose to cooperate with President Tinubu and the National Assembly for the future of the state. He added that he prioritized the progress of Rivers State over personal or political disputes.
“As your Governor, I accepted to abide by the state of emergency declaration, guided by my conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability, and progress of Rivers State,” he stated.
Fubara disclosed that he resisted pressures to challenge the constitutionality of the emergency rule, which included the suspension of democratic institutions. He lauded Tinubu’s intervention in facilitating peace among key stakeholders, including former governor Nyesom Wike, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and himself.
“We believe the political crisis is now behind us, and peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule,” Fubara remarked. He called on political leaders and stakeholders to set aside differences and unite for the state’s development.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his “fatherly disposition and decisive interventions” in resolving the crisis and restoring full democratic governance to Rivers State.
Recall that on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following what he described as a total breakdown of governance. The crisis stemmed from deep political divisions between the Governor and a faction of the State House of Assembly, which had split into rival camps.
The dispute triggered violent confrontations, vandalism of critical infrastructure, including oil pipelines, and rising insecurity across the state. The federal authorities argued that the emergency measure was necessary to prevent further chaos and restore order.
However, after months of tension, President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule on September 17, 2025. The decision followed appeals from stakeholders and efforts at reconciliation, which stabilized governance in the state. The President emphasized that democratic institutions must thrive and that restoring constitutional order was vital for peace, development, and the protection of citizens’ rights.