Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured residents that peace and stability have returned to the state following the end of the six-month emergency rule declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2025.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Governor Fubara acknowledged the difficult period the state endured during the emergency rule but expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his “fatherly disposition and decisive interventions” in resolving the political crisis.
The governor said he deliberately chose not to challenge the constitutionality of the emergency rule or the suspension of democratic institutions, stressing that his priority was to safeguard the peace, progress, and stability of the state.
According to him, President Tinubu successfully brokered peace among key stakeholders, including himself, former Governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. “We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without the hard lessons learnt,” he stated.
Fubara pledged to work harmoniously with the State House of Assembly to accelerate governance and development, promising that ongoing infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other critical projects would not be abandoned. “Our immediate responsibility is to return to the path of governance and development by completing the projects we started,” he said.
While acknowledging concerns raised by citizens about the peace process, the governor reassured them that “nothing has been irretrievably lost,” urging everyone to embrace reconciliation and inclusiveness. Quoting an old adage, he said, “The costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war.”
Governor Fubara also expressed appreciation to religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups, political actors, women and youth groups, and all citizens for their patience and resilience during the period of emergency rule.
He particularly thanked President Tinubu, former Governor Wike, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and members of both the National and State Assemblies for their contributions to the resolution of the crisis.
The governor ended his broadcast with a call for unity, urging Rivers people to rise above divisions and work together for the prosperity of the state.
“Our diversity is our greatest asset, and our unity the strongest guarantee of our future,” he declared.
