FRANK ENEAWAJI OGWUONUONU
It was on Wednesday 17th September, 2025 that the presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga made public on his social media plat form that president Bola Tinubu has lifted the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State.
Many Nigerians and Rivers people were expecting president Bola Tinubu to make a public broadcast to make an end to the Emergency Rule in Rivers State, but rather it was a tweet on the social media.
The social media message by the presidential spokesperson about the end of the state of Emergency Rule in Rivers State, got supersonic dissemination by the main stream media. And there was wild jubilation in Rivers state, awaiting the emergence of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara as the Governor of Rivers State in the public space and governance in the state.
The eyes and ears of most Rivers people were wide open to hear when he would touch down at the Port Harcourt International Airport. The social message triggered jubilation that led to so many people having sleepless night to see when the Gov. Sim, as is fondly called would arrive in Port Harcourt on the 18th which was the D-Day. By 5am, Thursday morning, streets of Port Harcourt city were flooded by people, especially lovers of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara’s style of Government, finding and navigating their ways to Government House, Port Harcourt.
At about 8:00am on Thursday 18th September, 2025, from the popular UTC junction to Lagos Bus stop, down town in the heart of Port Harcourt was crowded with people celebrating the arrival of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara to Government House, Port Harcourt. Indeed, so many cultural troupes were on ground to entertain the mammoth crowd. The cessation of Emergency Rule in Rivers State has given room to atmosphere of celebration and reflection. It is also obvious that politicians are reflecting on the aftermath of Emergency rule n Rivers State.
The reinstatement of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy and the State House of Assembly has given Rivers state a new lease of life in the state. It is indeed, a new era to resurrect development that went into oblivion in Rivers state. There is high expectation on Rivers state Governor, from Rivers people.
In reiterating his commitment to service of Rivers people, the Governor, Sir Siminalyi Fubara, on Friday 19th September, 2025, made a State Wide Broadcast by 6pm that evening,. The Governor who was filled with passion and vigour to continue his visionary leadership and result oriented service to humanity was honest in his state wide broadcast to Rivers people.
Indeed, Governor Siminalayi Fubara began with; “My dear good people of Rivers state, recall that Rivers state was placed under a six-month emergency rule, declared by Mr President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on the 18th of March, 2025, following the intense political crisis in our state.
According to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in his state wide broadcast, it is without doubt that the last six months had been enormously challenging for our dear state under the emergency rule. In his words, “ as your Governor, I accepted to abide by the state of emergency declaration and choose to cooperate with Mr President and the National Assembly, guided by my conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability and progress of Rivers state.
Furthermore, “this was why I also resisted the pressure to challenge the constitutionality of the declaration of emergency, the suspension of democratic institutions and all other actions that we endured during this difficult period. In the course of the six months period, Mr. President graciously brokered the peace process with all the parties successfully. Our leader, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON all members of the Rivers state House Assembly and I, as your Governor, have all accepted to bury the hatchet and embrace peace and reconciliation in the best interest of our dear Rivers State.
We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers state, though not without the hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule. The responsibility now rests squarely on us: The Government, the Rivers state House Assembly, political leaders and stake holders to put aside our differences, work for the common good and advance the interests of our people above all else. We have a duty to ensure that the peace, we have all embraced remains permanent in our dear Rivers state.
The return of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara is a good omen for Rivers state. This is because Governor Fubara would not his DNA of purposeful service delivery to Rivers people. The Market Women, Labour Unions and artisans are happy with the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to power to lead Rivers state. Yes, Rivers people have had a sigh of relief for Governor Fubara being his power again.
It was obvious that projects execution was stalled in Rivers State during the period of Emergency Rule. Let the political leaders, followers and citizens learn a strong lesson from the Emergency Ruler and do the right things in Rivers State.***
