Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Monday Ubani has commended President Bola Tinubu for lifting the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight September 17, 2025, describing it as a timely move that restores democratic governance without requiring a formal extension request to the National Assembly. Speaking on Arise TV’s News Night, Ubani emphasized that while Tinubu was not constitutionally obligated to issue a statement, his explanation provided crucial context for the controversial emergency declaration, which dismantled the state’s elected structures on March 18, 2025.
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The emergency rule suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a political crisis involving a legislative standoff with 27 pro-Wike lawmakers and a Supreme Court ruling invalidating actions by a four-member pro-Fubara faction. Tinubu justified the measure as a preemptive response to security reports indicating threats to peace, including the destruction of economic assets and governance paralysis.
Ubani clarified that the emergency rule, set to expire on September 18, 2025, lapsed naturally unless extended by the National Assembly. “Even if he [Tinubu] did not make any pronouncement, the timeline would elapse tomorrow unless there is an application for an extension,” he stated. “It was good that he did… and at least gave context and explanation to those who criticize the procedure of dismantling the democratically elected structures.”
The SAN praised Tinubu’s statement for outlining the rationale behind the emergency declaration, noting that the president cited a Supreme Court judgment deeming it improper for Fubara to govern with only four assembly members. “The appropriation bill was regarded as invalid,” Ubani explained, adding that security reports and an unsuccessful memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Fubara and his political rival, Nyesom Wike, underscored the absence of peace. “He felt that if we continued to allow this, it may degenerate. So he took that preemptive step… with the support of an arm of government that gave validation—the National Assembly.”
When asked if the conditions prompting the emergency rule had been resolved, Ubani pointed to Tinubu’s proactive measures. “The president took a hint from the fact that there was a destruction of some economic assets, according to security reports,” he said, referencing the failed MOU aimed at reconciling the warring parties. While acknowledging critics’ rights to challenge the declaration’s constitutionality in court, Ubani lamented the lack of judicial pronouncement due to the emergency’s expiration. “It would have been better if a court had made a pronouncement concerning that,” he noted, but suggested the issue was now academic.
With Fubara resuming office as a PDP governor, Ubani highlighted the challenges posed by a fragmented political structure: 20 of Rivers’ 23 local government chairmen belong to the opposition APC, and 27 of the 32 state assembly members align with Wike’s faction. “What kind of survival strategy can Fubara come up with so that he’s not stepping on landmines?” the host asked.
Ubani expressed optimism, asserting that behind-the-scenes agreements have “watered the ground” for peace. “Everyone has learned their lesson concerning what precipitated the crisis in the first place,” he said. “Fubara must have learned his lesson, and those who were affected on the other side have all learned their lesson. So what they need now is peace.” He dismissed the likelihood of renewed conflict, stating, “I don’t think that Fubara is coming now to begin to create any more crisis… There is an understanding that has been reached behind the scenes that we must move our state forward.”
Addressing speculation about Fubara defecting to the APC, Ubani remained noncommittal. “I can only speculate,” he said, but noted that Wike, Fubara’s political godfather, had signaled no need for extending the emergency, suggesting a mutual commitment to governance over crisis. “They are coming to ensure that there is progress in that particular state,” he affirmed.
Ubani concluded by expressing hope that the agreements reached prioritize the interests of Rivers’ citizens over political elites. “We do hope that the agreements will be in the best interests of the people of Rivers State and not necessarily the politicians involved,” he stated, urging Fubara to focus on delivering good governance.
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