Nigerians as individuals, groups and organisations have reacted to Tuesday’s – yesterday, March 18 – declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, who cited the lingering political impasse in the oil-rich State to back up his action.
Among the reactions are those from the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and several individuals and others.
Fubara calls for calm, suggests Tinubu’s action unwarranted as Rivers safe, secure, peaceful “under our watch”
*Outlines his efforts he had made to achieve peace, avoid current situation but frustrated by members of House of Assembly
The suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has called on the people and residents of Rivers State to remain peaceful in the face of the precarious situation in which the state has found itself.
Fubara spoke in reaction to his suspension, alongside his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, as well as the state House of Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, who declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday – yesterday, March 18 – citing the political impasse in the oil-rich State.
The embattled Governor told Rivers people that he was addressing them with a deep sense of responsibility and calm, as they navigate “this unfortunate moment in the state’s political history”.
“Since assuming office as your Governor, all my actions and decisions have been guided by my constitutional oath of office and a great sense of duty,” Fubara said.
“We prioritized the protection of lives and property and ensured the continuous progress of our dear State.
“Even in the face of the political impasse, we have remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of our people above all else.
“This was why, immediately after Mr. President’s intervention to broker peace, we did not hesitate to implement the agreed terms in good faith, including welcoming back commissioners who had previously resigned on their own volition.
“Furthermore, we moved swiftly to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgement and immediately we received the certified true copy of the judgement to return the state to normalcy.
“These steps were taken not for personal gains but to foster peace, unity and stability in our dear State.”
“Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.
“Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people.
“Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance had continued, salaries were paid, and great projects were being executed to move the State forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch.
“At this critical time, I urge all Rivers people to remain peaceful and law-abiding. We will engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that our democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive.
“We have always been a resilient people, and we will face this situation with wisdom, patience, and unwavering faith in the democratic process.”
PDP rejects emergency rule in Rivers
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Tinubu
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said President Tinubu has no power to suspend a democratically elected Governor, adding that the reasons adduced by the president do not justify the declaration of a state of emergency in the Rivers under the 1999 Constitution.
The statement reads:
“The PDP outrightly rejects this attempt by the President to override the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and undermine the votes and will of the people of Rivers State by seeking to depose a democratic government and foist an undemocratic rule in the State.
“The unconstitutional declaration by President Tinubu of the suspension of the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and appointment of an unelected individual, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) to govern the State is a clear attack on our nation’s democracy, an abrogation of the votes and democratic right of the people of Rivers State to choose their leader under the Constitution.
“The action of Mr. President, therefore, clearly borders on an attempt at state capture. It is the climax of a well-oiled plot to forcefully take over Rivers State for which the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been bent on stoking the crisis to ensure that democracy is ultimately truncated in the State.
“The PDP alerts that the unwarranted imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State is part of the larger vicious plot to foist a siege mentality across Nigeria, decimate opposition, impose a totalitarian one-Party State and turn the country into a fiefdom
“In any case, nothing in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution relied upon by the President in the declaration grants him the exclusive powers to declare or execute the declaration of a state of emergency without recourse to the statutory approval of the National Assembly.”
“Mr. President should recognize that his order to an unelected individual to forthwith take over government of Rivers State is illegal and a clear recipe for crisis, threat to the peace and stability of not only Rivers State but the entire nation,” the PDP stressed.
“For emphasis, Governor Fubara was democratically elected for a tenure of four years whose tenure cannot be unconstitutionally abridged.
“The PDP, therefore, cautions Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) to respect the Constitution and ensure that he does not take any action or step which is capable of derailing smooth democratic Governance in Rivers State. Nigeria is not under a military rule where the governance of a State is by appointment by a junta.”
Declaring state of emergency in Rivers alarming – PANDEF
The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has expressed serious alarm over yesterday’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
This development comes as the state grapples with a crisis that PANDEF describes as “ordinarily avoidable.”
According to a press release issued by its National Spokesman, Obiuwevbi Ominimini, PANDEF said it is currently studying the situation and will soon release its official position on the matter.
APC commends Tinubu, demands extension to Osun State
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has commended President Bola Tinubu on the declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Reacting officially to the decision in a chat with Daily Sun from Saudi Arabia, the National Secretary of the ruling party, Ajibola Basiru, also urged President Tinubu to extend the decision to Osun State where the State government has grounded local government administration.
Ajibola further claimed that the President’s decision in Rivers has shown that he is not only a statesman but also very neutral in the crisis rocking the State.
“The decision of Mr. President is a welcome one. It is a decision to salvage democracy and save Rivers from becoming a failed State. The President has shown that he is a statesman, he has shown that he is not partisan in the matters of Rivers State.
“It appears that the gladiators on both sides are not considering the effects of the crisis on the State and the interests of the generality of the Rivers people. The decision of Mr President is well grounded and supported in the constitutional provision of Nigeria.
“In view of the significance of Rivers State to the Nigerian economy, we cannot allow the situation to degenerate to the extent that it can affect the overall economic well being of the Nigerian people. It is a signal that the President will not tolerate illegality,” he said.
“If some lawyers are saying that Mr President lacks the power to suspend a sitting State governor, do they want Nigeria to be destroyed before he can invoke the relevant constitutional provision?
“They are the same people that ran former governor Fubara into trouble by advising him to rule the State with four members of the House of Assembly. If they want to litigate against the decision, they should go to court, but we want the country to survive based on peace and development.
“We should not forget that a Doctrine of Necessity was invoked to draft Goodluck Jonathan into power. So, assuming that there is no constitutional provision, will necessity, rule of law and sanctity of life not dictate that such a decision should be taken?
“What I know is that the decision taken by Mr President was very sound that every reasonable leader concerned about the security and welfare of Rivers State will take. Would he have allowed the State to go into anarchy and become another Somalia because of constitutional interpretation by some people?”
The ruling party’s chief scribe added: “We also want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to also declare the same State of Emergency in Osun State.
“The government has grounded Local Government administration despite the Court of Appeal decision and the advice by the Attorney General.”
Declaration of state of emergency in bad faith – Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu was done in bad faith.
In a statement he personally signed and issued on Tuesday night, Atiku said President Tinubu has been a “partisan actor” in the Rivers State political crisis, insisting that the President cannot escape responsibility for the chaos in Rivers State, which his administration either allegedly enabled or failed to avert..
“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith,” Atiku’s statement read, in part.
“Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers. His blatant refusal — or calculated negligence — in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful.
“Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, the brazen security breaches that led to the condemnable destruction of national infrastructure in the state land squarely on the President’s desk.
“Tinubu cannot evade responsibility for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent.
“It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest and instability — undoing the hard-won peace secured by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Years of progress have been recklessly erased in pursuit of selfish political calculations.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility. Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the Governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the federal government is nothing less than an assault on democracy and must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
Emergency rule in Rivers road to Armageddon – Bode George
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State has shown that he has “total disrespect for constituted authority.”
“This is absolute Armageddon, total disrespect for constituted authority. The Constitution has been viciously violated. We can’t keep quiet. This is recklessness of the highest order,” George fumed in a chat with a Sun newspaper correspondent last night.
“What did Fubara do? As the Commander-in-Chief, you (Tinubu) gave Wike soldiers and security agents to try to destabilise Rivers State. The Governor does not have powers over any security agency. Like a gentleman that he is, he kept his cool. Nobody has told me what the Governor did to warrant this dictatorial emergency rule.
“What type of democracy is this in 2025? This is how it started in 1962 and 1983. This is a dress rehearsal of what Tinubu wants to do in 2027. APC wants to get all States through unconstitutional means.
“This state of emergency is absolute balderdash. Did he get the approval of the National Assembly before his broadcast? What happened in Rivers before today was the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob.”
“Why didn’t he declare a state of emergency in Lagos when the lawmakers were fighting? Why? Why did he invite Diete-Spiff and Niger Delta leaders last week when he knew where he was going? Is Tinubu now becoming a civilian dictator?” George quipped.
Elected officials’ suspension in Rivers, a slap on the constitution -Fara Dagogo
Dr Fara Dagogo, a former House of Representatives member representing Degema and Bonny Federal Constituency, has described the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu as a slap on the Constitution.
In a statement he issued to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday – yesterday, March 18 – in reaction to the emergency rule declared in Rivers by President Tinubu, Fara-Dagogo described the declaration as “questionable under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” adding that the Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) outlined the conditions under which the President might declare a state of emergency.
Specifically, according to Section 305(1), “the President may, by instrument published in the Official Gazette, issue a proclamation of a state of emergency in the federation or any part thereof.
“Section 305(3) states that the President may only declare a state of emergency in a state if the Governor of the state, with a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the House of Assembly, requests the President to do so;
“Or if there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety requiring extraordinary measures;
“Or If there is a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof;
“Or If there is an occurrence or imminent danger of invasion, war, or insurrection; or if there is a natural disaster or public health emergency;
“Or iff there is any other danger threatening the existence of the federation,”Dagogo explained.
Dagogo said that President Tinubu admitted that the Governor and Deputy Governor did not request the proclamation (as required under Section 305(5), meaning that the legal basis for the declaration rested on whether or not public order and public safety had truly broken down, justifying the invocation of emergency powers.
Speaking on the legality of the suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and State House of Assembly, Dagogo said the controversial aspect of the declaration was their suspension under the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the only legal way to remove a Governor or Deputy Governor is through impeachment by the State House of Assembly under Section 188.
He stated that the Constitution does not grant the President the power to suspend or remove a Governor or Deputy Governor outside the impeachment process or a valid resignation.
Dagogo said that section 11(4) and (5) stated that only the National Assembly could take over legislative functions of a state House of Assembly in a case where it could not function, adding that that section does not provide for the suspension of elected lawmakers.
Dagogo explained that given the constitutional provisions, President Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials is unconstitutional, as there is no provision in the 1999 constitution granting such powers.
“Even during a state of emergency, the Governor and Deputy Governor remain in office, unless removed in accordance with constitutional procedures,” he said, warning that the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Administrator to govern Rivers State raised another constitutional issue.
“The 1999 Constitution does not recognize the office of an “Administrator” in place of an elected Governor
‘’The constitution only provides for a Governor elected by the people (Section 176(1)), a Deputy Governor elected alongside the Governor (Section 186),” he said.
Dagogo mentioned that the only situation where an unelected official could assume control of a state is under military rule, which was not applicable under a democratic system governed by the 1999 constitution.
He noted the role of the National Assembly in approving the State of Emergency, saying that under section 305(2) and (6), the President must transmit the emergency proclamation to the National Assembly for approval within two days.
“If the National Assembly does not approve it within 10 days, the proclamation ceases to have effect.
Dagogo, while giving the constitutional breaches in the proclamation of Judicial interpretation and possible legal challenges, said that there were strong grounds for legal challenges in court.
“The Supreme Court’s pronouncement in A.G. Federation v. A.G. Lagos State (2013) LPELR-20974(SC) reaffirms the principle that the President must act within constitutional limits, even in extraordinary situations,” he noted.
Dagogo stated that ‘’any action outside the scope of the 1999 constitution is illegal’’ and could be overturned by the courts.
Declaration of emergency rule in Rivers, a dangerous precedent for democracy-CUPP
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers as a “dangerous precedent” for Nigeria democracy.
The CUPP National Secretary, High Chief Peter Ameh, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja also described it as a “selective application of the state of emergency decree”.
Ameh said that by suspending Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and appointing a sole administrator, President Bola Tinubu has flagrantly disregarded the Constitution and undermined the principles of democracy.
“The selective application of the State of emergency decree in Rivers State, while ignoring other states plagued by similar or even worse security challenges, raises questions about the motivations behind such a decision.
“The Constitution is clear: a Governor can only be removed from office through impeachment by the State House of Assembly, death, resignation, or completion of tenure.
“Nowhere does it grant the President the power to suspend a governor or declare a state of emergency as a tool for political suppression.
“The president’s actions are not only unconstitutional but also a blatant overreach of executive power.
“To remove an elected official at will, he is setting a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundation of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
Ameh said it was not just about Rivers, but about the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“If this unlawful act is not challenged, we risk creating a culture of impunity where presidents can arbitrarily remove elected officials who refuse to toe their line,” he said.
Ameh said that Nigerians must demand that their leaders respect the Constitution and uphold the principles of democracy.
“We must reject this brazen attempt to undermine our democracy and hold our leaders accountable for their actions,” he said.
Ameh said that President Tinubu’s broadcast had raised eyebrows, with many noticing that he solely blamed Fubara for the political impasse, while conveniently ignoring the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.
He said that the omission suggested that the president had taken sides, sparking concerns about his impartiality.
“By failing to acknowledge Wike’s role in the impasse, Tinubu’s administration has created an impression of bias, which could further exacerbate the situation.
“This perceived favoritism could undermine the president’s credibility and raise questions about his commitment to fairness and justice,” he said.
Ameh said that the ball is in the court of the judiciary, and the Nigerian people to stand up for the country’s democracy.
