President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed appreciation to the National Assembly for approving the state of emergency in Rivers State, describing the decision as a crucial step toward restoring stability and protecting the national economy.

In a statement released on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives for prioritizing the security and welfare of Rivers State over political affiliations.

He acknowledged Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, principal officers, and other lawmakers for their commitment to national unity.

“The crisis in Rivers State was at a perilous tipping point, threatening the security of vital oil and gas installations and undermining the national economy and the significant progress we have made in the reforms initiated since our administration commenced in May 2023,” Tinubu said.

He emphasized that the National Assembly’s decision followed a detailed review of classified security reports, which underscored the urgency of taking action to prevent further deterioration.

“As I detailed in my address to the nation on 18 March, the near-total collapse of governance, threats to federal economic assets, and the risk of widespread violence left no room for hesitation. This emergency measure is a lifeline to safeguard livelihoods, secure critical infrastructure, and restore democratic accountability,” he added.

During a nationwide emergency broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu officially declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months.

He also appointed a sole administrator to manage the affairs of the state within this period.

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State,” Tinubu announced.

The declaration came just hours after reports of an explosion at an oil facility in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

The six-month emergency rule grants the newly appointed administrator the authority to stabilize Rivers State, address governance failures, and foster reconciliation among political factions.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to peace and economic stability, Tinubu pledged to collaborate with the National Assembly to drive national development.

“Today’s decision exemplifies what our nation can achieve when unity of purpose and patriotism guide the actions of leaders. We remain steadfast in pursuing a safer, more prosperous Nigeria—one where every citizen’s potential is safeguarded and nurtured,” he said.

He also extended gratitude to Nigerians for their support and urged all stakeholders to contribute toward restoring peace in Rivers State.

A coalition of opposition political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, and some Labour Party (LP) leaders, has condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

President Bola Tinubu declared the state of emergency on Tuesday following political tensions in the state.

He also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.

However, during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition denounced the president’s action as unconstitutional.

The group argued that the constitutional provision Tinubu relied upon to justify the declaration was misapplied.

They demanded an immediate reversal of the decision and urged the National Assembly to reject it. They also called on the judiciary to intervene and nullify the move.

According to the coalition, citizens and civil society organizations must rise in defense of democracy.

The group further warned against actions that could destabilize the Niger Delta, recalling past unrest in the region that was only managed through the sacrifices of previous administrations.

They cautioned the Federal Government against “manufacturing” a political crisis that could jeopardize the region’s fragile stability.

Following the emergency declaration, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as the state’s sole administrator.

He was sworn in on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja.

Despite widespread criticism, the Federal Government has defended Tinubu’s decision.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi argued that the emergency rule effectively served as a lifeline for Governor Fubara, who was facing impeachment proceedings.

“If that impeachment had been allowed to take its full course, the governor would have entirely lost and completely.

“So, in a way, instead of allowing the impeachment to continue, and which in the end would have seen both the governor and the deputy governor out of office for the entirety of their four-year term with the remainder of what they have — a balance of two years and two months,” Fagbemi stated.

The Senate has officially approved the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State on Tuesday.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision on Thursday after a closed-door session that lasted over an hour.

The resolution was unanimously adopted by the senators.

As part of the approval, the Senate resolved “that Section 11 of Section 4 of the Constitution be invoked to provide the National Assembly the authority to set up a joint ad hoc committee of both chambers to oversee the administration of Rivers State henceforth.”

According to Section 305(6)(b) of the Constitution, a proclamation of a state of emergency by the President ceases to have effect “if it affects the Federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National Assembly is in session, or within ten days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by a two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the proclamation.”

While granting the approval, the Senate stipulated that the emergency rule in Rivers State should not exceed six months.

Additionally, the Senate resolved to establish a committee composed of eminent Nigerians to mediate between the warring factions within the Rivers State government during the emergency period.

Akpabio, in announcing the Senate’s approval, emphasized that all relevant constitutional provisions and Senate standing rules had been adhered to.

He stated: “The Senate hereby approves the proclamation of the State of Emergency declared by Mr. President in Rivers State of Nigeria as amended, pursuant to Section 60 of the Constitution, Section 305, and pursuant to our Rules of the Standing Orders of the Senate and also pursuant to Senate Rules 134, 135, and 136 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In a brief remark, Akpabio expressed hope that the emergency rule would restore stability in Rivers State.

“Let me thank you for your cooperation and patriotic zeal as enunciated, as expressed, as restated, and as displayed on the floor of the Senate today. It is our hope that this declaration of the State of Emergency in Rivers State by Mr. President will bring peace and ensure a speedy resolution of all the issues that led to the unrest. I hope that all will abide by this and use this window of opportunity within the next six months to resolve all these issues so that we can have peace and tranquillity with good governance in Rivers State of Nigeria.”

The Oyo State Government has formally dropped criminal charges against Naomi Silekunola, former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The case stemmed from the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of over 35 children during a festive event in December 2024.

Following the court’s decision on Thursday, the defendants appeared visibly relieved, exchanging smiles and pleasantries after their discharge from the case.

Confirming the development, Oyo State Attorney-General, Abiodun Aikomo, addressed journalists after the court session.

Speaking on the matter, he stated: “It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. And you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course. So, the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.

“In the course of doing that, we actually wanted to prosecute, but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion. And as far as human beings can do, they try to soothe the feelings of the affected parties.

“And in the circumstance, we felt the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them. It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, and that is what happened today.”

The withdrawal of charges follows an intense period of legal proceedings.

Earlier, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had granted bail to Naomi, Hamzat, and Fasasi.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin, came after the defendants presented their bail applications.

Naomi was granted bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties, while Hamzat and Fasasi received similar bail conditions.

The court also ordered them to surrender their passports and barred them from granting interviews, restricting their public engagements.

The case arose from the tragic stampede at Islamic High School, Bashorun, during a children’s event in December 2024, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of young children.

The incident left victims’ families and the public in shock, marking one of the worst tragedies in recent memory in Oyo State.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by the Attorney-General, initially opposed bail, citing the severity of the case and the need for justice for the victims.

However, the defense team argued that the accused had cooperated with investigations and did not pose a flight risk.

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to suspend elected officials in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional move that threatens Nigeria’s democratic federalism.

In a statement released on Tuesday, El-Rufai argued that the president’s actions lacked constitutional backing and represented a dangerous precedent for governance in the country.

He insisted that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower a sitting president to unilaterally suspend elected officials at the state level.

“There are things that are so clearly wrong that the justifications summoned in their defence fall flat. The decision of Mr. President to suspend the elected officials of the Rivers State Government is one of those. Our country’s Constitution does not support it precisely because it is dangerous to our system of democratic federalism for an elected president to assume and exercise powers to suspend elected officials at the state level,” El-Rufai stated.

He acknowledged the security challenges referenced by President Tinubu but maintained that addressing them should not come at the cost of dismantling democratic structures. He suggested that a state of emergency, limited to security operations, could have been declared instead of removing elected officials.

“The security issues cited in the President’s speech surely deserve the most serious attention and sustained efforts to contain the threats and preserve vital national infrastructure. That is a duty that we ought to vigorously support the security agencies to successfully discharge. A state of emergency could surely have been proclaimed to grant the relevant security agencies the extraordinary powers and necessary resources to enable them to address the problem. Extending the provisions of such an emergency regime to include the dismantling of democratic structures is a wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law,” he warned.

El-Rufai further referenced a Supreme Court ruling in Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation, which declared the suspension of elected officials unconstitutional, arguing that Tinubu’s actions directly contradict that precedent.

He urged the president to reconsider his decision, drawing attention to Tinubu’s own past stance as an opposition leader when he criticized former President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in the North-East.

“It is my view that Mr. President should review this decision and return to the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law. As an opposition figure, Senator Bola Tinubu had made his voice heard against the decision of then President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the North-East, even when that decision did not extend to the suspension of elected officials and institutions. A similar reconsideration is warranted in this case to contain the damage done to the people of Rivers State, and restore the Federal Government to compliance with the Constitution,” El-Rufai added.

Drawing historical parallels, El-Rufai warned that Nigeria risked repeating the mistakes of the 1962 emergency rule in the old Western Region, which led to political instability and long-term consequences. He called on patriotic Nigerians to speak out against what he described as a blatant violation of the Constitution.

“Let us not keep silent while the slippery slope of replicating the events of emergency rule in the old Western Region in 1962 unfolds before our very eyes. I appeal to all patriots and voices of reason to join in calling an end to this gross violation of the Constitution and disrespect for the rule of law.” he concluded.

Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials in Rivers State, describing it as an unconstitutional and undemocratic move aimed at seizing power.

Amaechi, who governed Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, argued that the President’s decision directly violates the Nigerian Constitution, particularly Section 188, which outlines the process for removing a state governor.

He insisted that no elected governor can be removed simply by a presidential proclamation.

He stated: “Unequivocally, I condemn the rather brazen and unilaterally reckless suspension and removal of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“With this singular move, Mr. President has technically suspended and truncated democracy in Rivers State. This clearly violates our Constitution, the same Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that Mr. President swore to uphold.”

“Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution clearly stipulates how a state governor can be removed from office, and it does not include a fiat declaration, decree, or promulgation by Mr. President. Therefore, he cannot appropriate such powers to himself.

“A democratically elected state governor cannot be removed from office by a proclamation of Mr. President. The suspension of two key democratically elected arms of government in Rivers State by Mr. President evidently violates our Constitution, even within the scope and interpretation of Section 305, which the President cited in his broadcast.”

Amaechi further asserted that the suspension was an orchestrated attempt to impose control over Rivers State.

“The unlawful suspension of elected democratic institutions in my dear Rivers State points to a brazen attempt at a power grab in the state by forces and persons who do not have such constitutional powers. The unfolding events in Rivers State in the past months point to a clearly orchestrated plot by some persons to unconstitutionally perpetrate and impose themselves on the people.”

Expressing deep concern over what he termed a slide into totalitarianism, he urged politicians, governors, and lawmakers to resist the move.

“At this inauspicious moment in our nation’s trajectory, all people of goodwill and conscience should rise to oppose this audacious violation of our Constitution and rape of our democracy. Mr. President must be made to know and understand in unmistakable terms that this illegality cannot stand.

“Politicians across divides should speak up and rise to halt our nation’s descent into totalitarianism. State governors and legislators should speak up now. I urge the National Assembly to reject this illegality.”

Referencing his time as Rivers governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Amaechi emphasized the role governors can play in reversing the President’s decision.

“As a former state governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), I am not unaware of the role elected governors in the country can play to halt this descent and reverse the unlawful actions of Mr. President. I commend the governors that have spoken against the unlawful suspension.

“The suspension is a very dangerous affront to Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.”