A prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Monday Ubani, has publicly defended President Tinubu’s controversial decision to declare an emergency rule in Rivers State. Ubani articulated his stance during an interview on Arise Television, where he detailed the crucial factors that necessitated the President's intervention to prevent what he described as the potential collapse of governance within the state.

According to Ubani, the President's perspective was shaped by a severe breakdown in the legislative process, specifically noting that “it got to a stage where the House of Assembly was not working alongside the governor.” This dysfunctional relationship between the executive and legislative arms of the state government created an untenable political environment, justifying the imposition of emergency rule as a vital corrective measure.

Ubani further highlighted a previous Supreme Court ruling, which deemed it constitutionally improper for a state governor to manage the administration with a House of Assembly comprising only four members. This judicial precedent underscored the severity of the political impasse in Rivers State. He added, “Even the appropriation that was passed was regarded as something invalid,” suggesting that key governmental functions, including fiscal management, were severely compromised. Additionally, Ubani pointed to the “destruction of economic assets” as another significant concern influencing the President's decision.

The SAN also revealed that efforts to de-escalate the conflict through peaceful mediation had proven futile. Despite high-level attempts, including a meeting held at Aso Rock where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was drafted to foster reconciliation between the warring factions, a lasting resolution remained out of reach. This persistent instability, coupled with the aforementioned governmental and economic crises, ultimately led to the declaration of emergency rule as a measure of last resort to restore order and functionality in Rivers State.