TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025

Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.

With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.

Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.

On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:

“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected

“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”

The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.

Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.

Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.

Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.

The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.

With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having 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, 18th March, 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 (Rtd) 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.

The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.

This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.

The Former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Monday urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to retrieve her seized assets from their current buyers.

The former minister specifically requested that the court direct the anti-graft agency to recover the seized properties from the individuals or entities to whom they were sold.

Alison-Madueke made this request through an amended application filed on her behalf by her lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

She sought an order to set aside the EFCC’s public notice, which served as the basis for the public auction of her assets.

She further asked the court to declare the public auction conducted by the EFCC as a violation of statutory provisions, including the EFCC Act of 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Act of 2022.

Alison-Madueke argued that the auction breached her right to fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Additionally, she sought an order restraining the EFCC from disposing of her properties as listed in the public notice and asked the court to vacate the notice issued by the EFCC, which was based on various judgments and orders in favor of the agency.

She contended that the final forfeiture orders issued against her properties violated her proprietary rights due to a lack of jurisdiction and denial of fair hearing.

The former minister also requested an extension of time to seek the court’s leave to vacate, discharge, or set aside the public notice issued by the EFCC.

The EFCC had announced in a public notice that Alison-Madueke’s assets were up for sale between January 9 and January 13, 2023. Following this announcement, Alison-Madueke initiated legal action against the EFCC.

In an originating motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, filed on January 6, 2023, she sought an extension of time to apply for an order to set aside the public notice and prevent the auction of her assets.

However, in a counter-affidavit filed on March 14, the EFCC urged the court to dismiss the suit.

The affidavit, deposed to by litigation officer Oyakhilome Ekienabor, refuted several claims made by Alison-Madueke.

Ekienabor stated that extensive investigations into the former minister’s activities during her tenure had led to criminal proceedings against her in various courts, including the Federal High Court.

He cited charges filed in 2017 and 2018 as part of the evidence against her and explained that the properties were sold in compliance with final forfeiture orders issued by the Federal High Court on July 9, 2019, and September 10, 2019.

According to Ekienabor, these forfeiture orders were not issued in violation of Alison-Madueke’s rights to fair hearing, and the properties were disposed of in accordance with due process.

“The cases leading to the forfeiture orders were actions in rem, and the decisions are binding on all,” he said.

He added that during the forfeiture proceedings, the court had instructed the EFCC to publish a notice inviting interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be forfeited.

Ekienabor further stated that Alison-Madueke was represented during one of the proceedings, but the court ultimately issued the final forfeiture orders after considering submissions made by her counsel.

Justice Ekwo, on February 17, granted the former minister’s request to amend her suit following a motion by her counsel, Godwin Iyinbor.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, Iyinbor informed the court that an amended originating motion had been filed and served on the EFCC on February 20. He requested an adjournment to respond to the commission’s counter-affidavit, which was filed on March 14.

Justice Ekwo emphasized the need to expedite the case, considering its long duration since it was filed in 2023.

The EFCC’s counsel, Divine Oguru, apologized for the delay in responding and assured the court of readiness at the next hearing.

“We will be ready to go on in the next adjourned date my lord,” he said

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to March 27 for hearing.

Philip Shuaibu, a former deputy governor of Edo State, has alleged that ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki defrauded him of $300,000.

In a recent interview with The Sun, Shuaibu claimed that Obaseki took the money under the pretense of lobbying party leaders ahead of their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“When the issue of moving to PDP arose and the debate was about what the party would gain, I told him to go ahead, even if it meant sacrificing the deputy governor slot,” Shuaibu stated.

He further revealed: “I contributed $300,000. He told me he was adding it to $700,000 to lobby leaders in Port Harcourt, but we later found out from the zonal PDP Chairman that no such money was given.”

Expressing frustration, Shuaibu added, “He duped me. It took me seven months to repay the money in installments. I had to raise the alarm because I was repaying a debt for money that was never used. Till today, he hasn’t returned it.”

He named key PDP figures, including Chief Dan Orbih and Ogbeide-Ihama, as witnesses to the situation.

Obaseki and Shuaibu were once political allies but have been embroiled in a prolonged political battle.

Their fallout began after the 2020 Edo State gubernatorial election when tensions over succession planning emerged. Shuaibu, who had been loyal to Obaseki, reportedly sought to succeed him in 2024, but Obaseki resisted the move. This led to public clashes, allegations, and Shuaibu’s impeachment in 2024.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the court later reinstated Shuaibu, declaring his removal unconstitutional. The ruling intensified the political crisis in Edo State, further widening the rift between the two former allies.

Despite Obaseki’s efforts to maintain political control, his anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, lost the Edo State governorship election to Monday Okpeboloh, the candidate of PDP.

The defeat marked a major political setback for Obaseki, further weakening his influence in the state’s political landscape.