The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has announced that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is prepared to release the withheld allocation of Rivers State to the newly appointed Sole Administrator of the state.
This statement was made during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
When questioned about the Federal Government’s plans to release the state’s allocation from the federation account following recent developments, Fagbemi confirmed that the funds would be disbursed if requested by the Sole Administrator.
“It will be in order for the release of that fund, as the extraordinary situation has moved them beyond the normal course of events,” the minister stated. He also defended President Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the ongoing political crisis that has paralyzed governance in the region.
On Tuesday, President Tinubu suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly, citing instability and a breakdown of democratic governance in the state. The President’s decision has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning the legality and necessity of the move.
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Tinubu explained that the crisis in Rivers State had rendered the government dysfunctional, depriving citizens of the dividends of democracy. “With the crisis persisting, democratic governance, which we have all fought for over the years, cannot thrive in a way that benefits the people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis began, and the people have been deprived of the dividends of democracy,” he said.
The President also accused Governor Fubara of unjustifiable actions, including the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He noted that interventions by prominent figures had failed to resolve the crisis, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency.
Tinubu referenced a February 28, 2025, Supreme Court ruling on eight consolidated appeals related to the political crisis in Rivers State. The court’s judgment reportedly highlighted unconstitutional acts and a disregard for the rule of law by Governor Fubara.
“The court’s judgment clearly highlighted the unconstitutional acts and the disregard for the rule of law committed by the Governor of Rivers State, as evidenced in the case,” Tinubu stated. He further emphasized that the Supreme Court had pointed out the absence of a functional government in the state, noting that the collapse of the legislative arm by the executive had created a governance vacuum.
“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up a state government under the 1999 Constitution, as amended. In this case, the head of the executive arm has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without it, acting like a despot. As things stand, there is no government in Rivers State,” the President added.
