The Nigerian Senate has voted on Tinubu’s State of Emergency in Rivers.
Newsone Nigeria had reported earlier that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, south-south Nigeria.
President Tinubu announced in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday evening, March 18, 2025, over the political crisis and instability in the state.
The president said Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the State; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers assembly are “hereby suspended for an initial period of six months”.
“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,” the president said.
During the broadcast, the President declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and nominated retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a former chief of naval staff, as the state administrator.
Voting on President Tinubu’s emergency rule on Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Nigerian Senate approved the State of Emergency for Rivers State as declared by President Bola Tinubu.
The upper legislative chamber also approved a six-month suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, his Deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The development came after a closed-door session where the lawmakers deliberated on the matter.
Despite the outrage, the two legislative chambers approved the emergency rule in Rivers State on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
