Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has vowed to work closely with the State House of Assembly to regain momentum in the state’s development, following the end of a six-month emergency rule. In a statewide speech on Friday, he promised inclusive governance and appealed for unity among all leaders and citizens.
Fubara described the emergency period as “one of the most challenging moments for our dear State.” He explained that he chose not to legally challenge the emergency declaration enforced on March 18, 2025, because he believed cooperation was necessary to bring peace back to Rivers State.
“As your Governor, I accepted to abide by the state of emergency declaration and chose to cooperate with Mr. President and the National Assembly, guided by my conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability, and progress of Rivers State,” he said.
Fubara expressed gratitude to several individuals and institutions. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for what he described as a “fatherly intervention” that led to the restoration of full democratic governance. He also praised his political leader, former Governor Nyesom Wike, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other stakeholders for their roles in keeping peace.
In calling for unity, the governor reminded political actors to set aside personal interests. He urged, “No sacrifice is too much for the peace of Rivers State.” He said the state must now shift its focus to rebuilding.
“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 from the emergency rule. Our immediate responsibility is to return to the path of governance and development by completing the projects which we started … reviving our economy, protecting lives and property, and improving the wellbeing of all Rivers people.”
Fubara also assured his supporters that “not everything is irretrievably lost” and that there is still room for adjustments and reconciliation.
As part of his commitment moving forward, he pledged to work “harmoniously with the Rivers State House of Assembly to recover lost grounds and accelerate the social and economic advancement of our dear State.”
