The Nigerian Senate has gone into a closed-door session to deliberate on President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials.
The closed session was announced on Thursday after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read a letter from President Tinubu during plenary.
The letter read, “I compliance with the provisions of Section 305, Subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended. I hereby forward, for the Constitution of the Senate, copies of the official Gazette of the State of Emergency Proclamation 2025.
“The main features of the proclamation are as follows:
“A declaration of a State of Emergency in one State of the Federation, namely, River State.
“The suspension from office of the Governor, his Deputy, and all members of the State House of Assembly.
“An appointment of Vice-Admiral Iboette Ibas, as the Administrator to administer the State something to any instruction or regulation as made from time to time be issued by me.
“While I look forward to the expeditious Constitution of the Senate, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Following the reading, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion for a closed session, citing Order 135 of the Senate rules. The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro.
President Tinubu, in a national broadcast on Tuesday night, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the decision.
The measure resulted in the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
The crisis in Rivers State has been attributed to a prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. To oversee governance in the state, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff, as the sole administrator until stability is restored.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has announced the formation of a new coalition of opposition political parties, aiming to challenge President Tinubu’s administration in the 2027 general election.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, where Atiku addressed journalists alongside key political figures, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Labour Party spokesperson Yunusa Tanko, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha.
The opposition coalition strongly condemned the emergency rule in Rivers State, describing it as unconstitutional. Atiku called on the National Assembly to reject Tinubu’s move and urged the judiciary to overturn the decision to prevent what he called a dangerous precedent.
“Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a state of emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as he has brazenly done,” Atiku stated.
He further described Tinubu’s decision as “a clear subversion of democracy and an imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government.”
The coalition leaders pledged to engage political stakeholders across party lines in preparation for the 2027 elections while urging civil society organizations and Nigerians to resist what they called an attack on democratic institutions.
