… Fubara, family, others vacate govt house

… As Amaechi says suspension of Fubara, others clear violation of constitution

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in River State was timely and meant to avert an implosion in the state.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, stated this while briefing State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

“We have about two years into the administration in the state.

“Now, when do you think he (President Tinubu) should have come in? Is it when everything has been destroyed? I don’t think so.

“I think the President has acted timeously. He has given the opportunity to all the parties involved to make amends. Before then, he had to assemble them, and he had tried to mediate,” he stated.

Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure.

The crisis, which had paralysed governance in the oil-rich state, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

As part of the directive, the President also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (rtd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu announced, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State has 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, March 18, 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.

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) 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.”

As at press time, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has vacated the Government House in Port Harcourt along with his family and security details.

Fubara reportedly left the seat of power on Wednesday morning, according to a close source who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the issue.

As at the time of his leaving, security at the Government House remains sparse, although the two Armoured Personnel Carriers seen on Tuesday night in front of the premises were still stationed there with a handful of security operatives.

As of the time of filing this report, normal activities were ongoing in Port Harcourt and its environs.

A former Governor of Rivers state and immediate past Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi in his reaction has added his voice to the rising opposition against the President’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly in the wake of a state of emergency in the state.

However, Amaechi who ruled Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, unequivocally condemned the move by the President, saying it speaks to a power grab and marks a descent of the country into totalitarianism.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Amaechi said that the move by Tinubu clearly violates the Nigerian Constitution.

He called on well-meaning Nigerians to speak up especially the Nigerian Governors Forum whom he believes can “reverse the Unlawful actions” of the President.

The statement reads, “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 Nigeria 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 that the President cited in his broadcast.

“The unlawful suspension of elected democratic institutions in my dear Rivers State points to a brazen attempt at 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, points to a clear orchestrated plot by some persons to unconstitutionally perpetrate and impose themselves on the people.

“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 the divides should speak up; 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.

“As a former State Governor and Chairman of 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 on Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.”