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The Federal Government has shed light on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which culminated in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
This decisive action, announced by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025, aims to restore governance in the state plagued by instability.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, addressed the media on Wednesday, asserting that the emergency declaration was vital to prevent a complete collapse of governance.
“The situation in Rivers State had reached a point where intervention was not just necessary but urgent,” Fagbemi remarked.
He emphasized that the former governor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, played no role in the political turmoil leading to this emergency.
Fagbemi assured that the state’s allocation from the Federation Account would be available to Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), appointed as the sole administrator for Rivers State.
“If the administrator requests it, the allocation will be released to him,” he stated.
The AGF defended the timing of Tinubu’s intervention, stating, “We have about two years into this administration. Should the President have waited until everything was destroyed? I don’t think so.”
He reiterated that Tinubu had made attempts to mediate the crisis before resorting to emergency measures.
The political instability largely stemmed from a power struggle between Fubara and Wike, disrupting governance and raising concerns about security and economic stability.
In his address, President Tinubu cited constitutional breaches and security threats as reasons for the emergency declaration. “It has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of Section 305 of the Constitution,” he stated.
