Fubara explains Rivers emergency rule, stressing peace over conflict, while citizens share mixed reactions on its social and economic impact.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has once again explained why he chose to respect the Rivers emergency rule, emphasizing that the decision was rooted in a desire to avoid chaos and protect the people of Rivers State.
In his words, leadership sometimes demands sacrifice, even when it comes at a personal or political cost.
While the governor’s restraint helped calm tensions, ordinary citizens, civil society groups, and businesses across the state are now reflecting on how those six months of suspended governance shaped their lives—socially, politically, and economically.
Fubara admitted that many of his supporters urged him to reject the proclamation and test its legality in court.
However, he explained that such defiance would have only worsened the state’s already fragile atmosphere.
“Sacrificing personal pride was not too much if it meant restoring calm and preserving our institutions,” he said in his statewide address.
His stance during the Rivers emergency rule, he argued, was not weakness but strategy. By cooperating with President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, Fubara believed he was protecting the state from prolonged instability.
For residents of Port Harcourt and other towns, the suspension of normal democratic processes was more than a political drama—it was a disruption of daily life.
Civil servants complained of delays in salaries and project funding, while traders in Mile 1 Market and Creek Road said the uncertainty discouraged investors and slowed commerce.
Ngozi Amadi, a local food seller, told journalists: “During the Rivers emergency rule, the government wasn’t moving. Roads that were supposed to be repaired stayed abandoned. We felt forgotten.”
University students also lamented stalled scholarship programs and unpaid bursaries.
Community leaders in rural areas reported that development projects such as health centers and borehole construction were put on hold, forcing communities to rely on self-help.
Business owners noted that the political crisis discouraged companies from making fresh investments.
Hotel managers in Port Harcourt reported a decline in conference bookings, while transport operators saw a drop in intercity traffic.
Civil society groups, including the Rivers Integrity Forum, argued that the Rivers emergency rule exposed the fragility of the state’s institutions.
In their view, citizens paid the price for political elites’ inability to resolve differences amicably.
Dr. Adaeze Oreh, a public health expert, stressed that the temporary disruption slowed down healthcare projects.
“Essential immunization and health outreach programs were delayed. In public health, such delays can cost lives,” she warned.
On September 18, 2025, President Tinubu officially lifted the Rivers emergency rule, reinstating Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly. The move restored democratic governance and brought cautious optimism to Rivers citizens.
Fubara’s return was met with jubilation at Port Harcourt International Airport, where crowds gathered to welcome him back. However, the absence of loyalists linked to Nyesom Wike highlighted lingering fractures within Rivers politics.
The crisis stemmed from the collapse of the alliance between Fubara and Wike, once political allies.
Their battle for control of party structures and state resources fueled division within the State House of Assembly, sparking impeachment threats and violent confrontations.
The burning of the Assembly complex symbolized how deep the rift had become. Tinubu’s eventual declaration of the Rivers emergency rule was widely seen as a last resort to halt the descent into chaos.
In his first speech after resuming office, Governor Fubara praised Tinubu’s role in brokering peace.
He pledged loyalty to the presidency and promised Rivers people that governance would once again be the focus.
“Nothing has been irretrievably lost,” Fubara reassured.
“We must now focus on building together, not tearing down what little progress we have made.”
Still, analysts argue that reconciliation between Fubara and Wike is fragile. The lack of Wike’s loyalists at the governor’s homecoming suggests that deep divisions remain beneath the surface.
As democratic governance resumes, Rivers citizens remain hopeful but cautious. Traders want stable policies to support business growth, civil servants are eager for regular payment of entitlements, and youths are calling for renewed focus on education and jobs.
Observers believe the real test of leadership lies not in how the Rivers emergency rule was endured but in how Governor Fubara rebuilds trust, strengthens institutions, and delivers tangible results.
For now, the governor has chosen conciliation over confrontation. His gamble is that patience and compromise will pave the way for peace and development. Whether this gamble pays off will determine the political future of Rivers State.
