RIVERS REBORN: The Moment Fubara Returns & What It Means for Democracy

The dawn of September 18, 2025, will mark more than just a date on the calendar for Rivers State, it represents the restoration of democratic order. After six months under emergency rule, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are set to resume their official duties. President Bola Tinubu formally lifted the emergency decree late Wednesday.

For many in Rivers, the six months of emergency rule have felt like a pause in governance and justice. Offices were locked, state budgets stalled, and many public services ground nearly to a halt. The declaration had suspended the governor, his deputy, and the legislature essentially, leaving citizens in a governance limbo.

The cause of the disruption lay in a bitter confrontation between Governor Fubara and his own State House of Assembly. A large majority of lawmakers opposed him, accusing him of altering the makeup of the Assembly and improperly presenting state budgets. The legislature’s intransigence made it impossible for governance to proceed.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invoked his constitutional power under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare the emergency rule a move he says became necessary after all attempts to broker peace failed. He described the situation as a “total paralysis of governance,” compounded by threats to critical state infrastructure, especially oil pipelines, which are central to Rivers State’s economy and Nigeria’s oil output.

Yet, it was not smooth sailing. The decision triggered over 40 legal challenges in courts in Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Yenagoa. Critics from civil society, regional political leaders, and opposition parties argued that the emergency declaration was unconstitutional. They insisted that elected officials should not be suspended, and that political reconciliation should have been pursued more aggressively.

What turned the tide toward reinstatement, according to Tinubu, was a shift in “intelligence reports” signs of renewed cooperation among stakeholders and a willingness to rebuild dialogue. Support from traditional rulers, local elders, and community groups added weight to the momentum. It is this “new spirit of understanding” that the president cited as the justification for lifting the emergency rule.

The restoration is more than symbolic. For ordinary Rivers residents, market traders, civil servants, and students, it means bureaucracy will resume, budgets will be accessed, social services restored, and the fear of governance breakdown mitigated. The pause in legislative functions had left many public programs in limbo; with the Assembly back, there’s hope that governance will be more responsive again.

But the road ahead is delicate. Political analysts warn that restored power doesn’t erase the tension. Reconciliation must translate into peaceful collaboration between the governor and the Assembly. Former rivalries especially related to budget control, legislative composition, and influence among state elites still run deep. If not managed carefully, they could reignite conflict.

This moment also tests the limits and balance of constitutional emergency powers in Nigeria. While Section 305 grants extraordinary authority to the president in extreme cases, its use in suspending elected governments remains controversial. Observers are watching closely to see whether this reinstatement will set a precedent for how political conflicts are handled nationally.

As Rivers State edges back to democratic normalcy, all eyes are now on September 18. 

Will Fubara’s administration hit the ground running?

Can the House of Assembly pass stalled budgets, rebuild trust, and repair fractured government-citizen relations? 

These are the stakes not just for Rivers, but for Nigeria’s faith in governance, legal norms, and political stability.