By Pioneer News
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed optimism that the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu will lapse on September 18, 2025, paving the way for a full return of democratic governance at the grassroots.
Speaking after casting his vote in the ongoing local government elections on Saturday, Wike described the exercise as peaceful, orderly, and a clear demonstration of citizens’ commitment to sustaining democracy in the state.
> “As far as we are concerned, this election is peaceful. People are trooping out, and at the end of the day, it will be successfully conducted. By September 18, the state of emergency will expire, the State Assembly will resume legislative duties, and Rivers will once again have a government that truly reflects the will of the people at the grassroots,” Wike declared.
The minister explained that the political environment in Rivers now provides favorable conditions for lifting the state of emergency, stressing that with representation at both state and local levels, governance can return to normalcy.
> “The coast is clear for the lifting of the emergency. The state has its government in place, and now, with local government representatives elected, the democratic structure is complete,” he added.
This reassurance comes amid widespread controversy surrounding the conduct of the local government polls. The exercise, held across 6,866 polling units in 319 wards, was organized under the supervision of Ibok Ete-Ibas, the sole administrator appointed by the Tinubu administration after the declaration of emergency rule.
The legitimacy of the polls has been hotly contested, with critics condemning what they described as a “non-democratic regime” conducting elections.
It will be recalled that the Supreme Court, on March 28, 2025, nullified the earlier council elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on October 5, 2024. Since then, governance at the local government level has been under an interim administration.
Despite the criticisms, RSIEC has maintained its position, urging eligible voters to come out en masse and perform their civic duty peacefully.
With Wike’s assurance that Rivers State will regain full democratic functionality by mid-September, political analysts say all eyes will be on the Tinubu administration to see whether it honors the timeline and restores legislative independence to the oil-rich state.
PIONEER NEWS 