President Tinubu Follows In Obasanjo’s Footsteps, Declares State Of Emergency In Rivers…Names Retired Military Officer As Administrator
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared all elected political office holders at the state level in Rivers State suspended for six months.
By extension, all members of the State Executive Council have also been sent packing.
This was sequel to declaration of state of emergency in the state.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the president to declare a state of emergency under specific conditions.
This decision has made the president follow in the footsteps of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The retired General was the civilian president between 1999 and 2007.
President Tinubu is the 4th head of government to declare a state of emergency in a region or a state in the country.
Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa declared state of emergency in Western Region on May 29, 1962, while Chief Olusegun Obasanjo declared state of emergency in Plateau and Ekiti states in May 2004 and October 2006 respectively.
Chief Obasanjo sourced for and appointed retired military officers; retired Major General Chris Alli and retired Brigadier General Adetunji Olurin as administrators of the two states in question respectively.
The third head of government to declare state of emergency in Nigeria was Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who however spared the political office holders.
Dr Jonathan declared state of emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states on May 14, 2013, imposed curfews and deployed more troops to the three states.
President Bola Tinubu has however chosen to follow in the footsteps of Alhaji Tafawa Balewa and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
He has suspended all political office holders in Rivers State and appointed a retired military officer as administrator.
Chief Moses Majekodunmi, who was the Health Minister, was appointed as Sole Administrator of defunct Western Region following the declaration of emergency by Balewa.
Why I Declared State of Emergency In Rivers State-Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu in justifying his decision to declare state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday noted that the state has been at a standstill since it began to experience political crisis a few months ago, this, he added, had denied the good people of the state access to the dividends of democracy.
The president also accused Governor Fubara of allowing parliament to function on sufferance while he had intervened and sought to settle the rift between the governor and his estranged political godfather.
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‘Also, it is public knowledge that the governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them’ he said.
The issue had according to the president featured litigations while the outcomes have not been accorded the required importance.
‘On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
‘A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State’.
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
‘Are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members’.
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated’ he submitted.
The president also said a worrisome development had emerged with the vandalization of pipelines by some militants without any measures to stop this on the part of the governor, he noted that it had therefore become inevitably compelling for him to invoke the provision of section 305
‘Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, 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.
By this declaration, 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’ he said
While noting that the declaration of state of emergency has been published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution, he also announced the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as Administrator.
‘In the meantime, I hereby nominate retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution’ he submitted-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
