Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for restoring democratic governance to the state following the expiration of the six-month emergency rule declared in March 2025.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Fubara described the period of emergency rule as “enormously challenging” but said the state has emerged with hard lessons and a renewed commitment to peace.
“Recall that Rivers State was placed under a six-month emergency rule, declared by Mr. President… following the intense political crisis in our State,” he said. “As your Governor, I accepted to abide by the state of emergency declaration… guided by my conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability, and progress of Rivers State.”
The governor credited President Tinubu for brokering reconciliation among the warring political factions, including himself, former Governor and current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Rivers State House of Assembly. “Our Leader, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and I… have all accepted to bury the hatchet and embrace peace and reconciliation in the best interest of our dear Rivers State,” he said.
Fubara urged political leaders and stakeholders to sustain the peace: “The responsibility now rests squarely on us… to put aside our differences, work for the common good, and advance the interests of our people above all else.”
He expressed “utmost loyalty and eternal gratitude” to President Tinubu for his “fatherly disposition and decisive interventions” and reassured Rivers people that “the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war.”
The governor also thanked Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, civil society groups, and citizens of the state for their roles in restoring stability.
Fubara pledged to focus on governance and development, highlighting ongoing achievements in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. “Our immediate responsibility is to return to the path of governance and development by completing the projects which we started… thereby reviving our economy, protecting lives and property, and improving the wellbeing of all Rivers people,” he stated.
He called on residents to rise above divisions and work collectively to rebuild trust and prosperity. “Our diversity is our greatest asset, and our unity the strongest guarantee of our future,” the governor said.
The broadcast ended with a call for unity: “Finally, I call on all citizens of Rivers State, regardless of political, religious, or ethnic affiliation, to join hands in rebuilding our beloved State and securing a future of dignity and progress for everyone.”
