Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has assured the people of a fresh beginning following the end of the six-month emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, September 19, 2025, the governor described the last six months as “enormously challenging” but said he deliberately chose cooperation with the Federal Government over confrontation, in the interest of peace, stability, and progress.
“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 disclosed that President Tinubu successfully brokered peace among all parties to the political crisis, including himself, former Governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
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He said all stakeholders had agreed to “bury the hatchet and embrace reconciliation in the best interest of Rivers State.”
While expressing gratitude to the President for what he called his “fatherly disposition and decisive interventions,” the governor reaffirmed his “utmost loyalty and eternal gratitude,” noting that full democratic governance had been restored.
He acknowledged concerns from residents about the peace process but assured them that “nothing has been irretrievably lost” and that there remained “ample opportunity for continued reconciliation and inclusiveness.” He emphasized that “the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war.”
The governor urged political leaders and stakeholders to put aside their differences and work collectively to ensure that the hard-earned peace is permanent.
He called for renewed focus on governance and development, promising that ongoing projects in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other sectors would be completed without neglect.
Fubara also pledged to work harmoniously with the Rivers State House of Assembly to recover lost grounds and accelerate the state’s economic and social advancement.
Extending appreciation to stakeholders across board, the governor said: “I also extend appreciation to all stakeholders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups, political actors, women groups, youths, concerned citizens at home and abroad, and well-wishers whose prayers and support sustained us through the challenging period.”
He further stressed that Rivers people must embrace unity and inclusiveness, saying: “Our diversity is our greatest asset, and our unity the strongest guarantee of our future. We must rise above bitterness and division and channel our energies into rebuilding trust, fostering inclusiveness, and securing a peaceful and prosperous State for all.”
Fubara also commended President Tinubu for his “timely intervention” and thanked Wike, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the National Assembly, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for their collective role in resolving the crisis.
“Finally, I call on all citizens of Rivers State, regardless of political, religious, or ethnic affiliation, to join hands in rebuilding our beloved State and securing a future of dignity and progress for everyone. In all, I give glory to the Almighty God,” he said.
