President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the protracted political crisis in the state.
In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday night, Tinubu also suspended the governor, the deputy and members of the state house of assembly.
“The governor of Rivers State demolished the House of Assembly but has failed to rebuild the building till date. Many Nigerians have intervened, and leaders of thought have intervened all to no avail,” the president said.
“The supreme court pronounced in very glaring terms that a government cannot run without an arm of government.
“The latest security report shows that there has been vandalism of oil pipelines in Rivers State and the governor has not taken any step.
“Based on section 305 of the constitution of the country, the governor of Rivers state, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the house of assembly of Rivers state are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”
The supreme court’s recent ruling on the defection of 27 lawmakers of the Rivers house of assembly and the seizure of the state’s monthly statutory allocation drew harsh criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday.
The party accused the supreme court of being biassed and awarding relief on cases that were not brought before it in a statement released Tuesday in Port Harcourt by its Acting Chairman in Rivers State, Hon. Nname Robinson Ewor, following the conclusion of the party’s State Working Committee meeting.
The controversy followed the Supreme Court’s ruling on February 28, 2025, which addressed the presentation of the 2024 Appropriation Bill by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
