CITIZENS COMPASS—-A civil society organization, the Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER), has applauded President Bola Tinubu for terminating the six- month suspension of democratic structures in Rivers State with the restoration of democratic governance today 18th September 2025.
In a press release signed by its Executive Director, Nelson Ekujumi, the group commended President Bola Tinubu for his responsibility to his oath of office in upholding the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria by suspending democratic governance in Rivers State for 6 months at the first instance through the declaration of a state of emergency on the 18th of March 2025, and thus averted a breakdown of law and order and the attendant threat to democracy and national security.
According to CSER, “President Tinubu must be highly commended for being a responsive and responsible leader in preventing the degeneration of the political crisis in Rivers State into a national economic crisis by his timely declaration of emergency rule for 6 months in line with constitutional provisions and thus laid the template for peace, law and order to return to the state and necessitated the restoration of democratic governance on the 18th of September 2025”.
The group also praised the former sole administrator of Rivers State Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd.) for his sterling administrative capacity and capability in rallying the people of the state for peace, law and order in the discharge of his constitutional mandate for the 6 months that he was in the saddle.
Accordingly, the group noted that “Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd.) has performed his responsibility as sole administrator of Rivers State creditably by restoring peace, law and order to the beleaguered state which was not the case before his assumption into office”. The organisation, while thanking the retired military chief for his service to the nation even in retirement from military duties, wished him well.
The civil society organization while celebrating and congratulating the good people of Rivers State on the restoration of democratic governance today 18th September 2025, with the resumption into office of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state legislature, used the occasion to urge the Governor to imbibe the lessons of the past 6 months of emergency rule and not repeat his dictatorial, lawless assault on democracy and the constitution actions of the past, by upholding the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria in line with his oath, through recognition and respect for the three arms of government in our democracy.
CSER also commended the good people of Rivers State for their patience and perseverance in weathering the storm of political/economic crisis inflicted on the state by the political class which was averted from degenerating into a total breakdown of law and order by the declaration of a state of emergency for 6 months by Mr President in line with his powers and the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria.
The group appreciated the people of Rivers State for keeping faith with democracy by remaining calm, peaceful, law abiding and supportive of the sole administrator throughout the tenure of the state of emergency despite the provocation and incitement by agents of destabilization and anti democratic elements who do not wish Rivers State and Nigeria well.
As democratic governance is restored to Rivers State today 18th September 2025, CSER hereby calls on the political stakeholders and people of Rivers State to put the past behind and work together to make the collective interest of the state for peace, order, progress and prosperity top of their agenda in our democratic journey.
