By Prosper Mene, April 16, 2025ย
Hundreds of women in Rivers State took to the streets of Port Harcourt on Monday, intensifying their call for the immediate reinstatement of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the removal of the stateโs Commissioner of Police, Adepoju, amid a controversial state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu. The protesters, organized under the Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group, also demanded an end to what they described as an โunconstitutionalโ emergency rule that has gripped the oil-rich state since March 18, 2025.
Clad in red attire and wielding placards with messages such as โBring Back Governor Fubara,โ โWe Are Gagged,โ and โRivers Economy Suffers Under Ibas,โ the women marched through major roads, including Aba Road, before advancing to the Rivers State Government House. Their chants of โWe want Fubaraโ and solidarity songs underscored their frustration with the suspension of Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly, which followed Tinubuโs appointment of Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the stateโs sole administrator.
The womenโs demands come on the heels of a series of protests, including one last week where security operatives, including police, used tear gas to disperse approximately 200 women in Ahoada East, some of whom were elderly. Reports indicate that one elderly protester fainted during the clampdown, prompting condemnation from Fubaraโs aides, who accused the police of excessive force. โThe police tear-gassed them to the extent an old woman fainted,โ an aide told Naija News, highlighting the heavy-handed response to peaceful demonstrations.
The Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group specifically called for the removal of Commissioner of Police Adepoju, accusing him of overseeing the suppression of peaceful protests. โWe are here to tell President Bola Tinubu that since he declared a state of emergency, it has not been easy,โ one protester stated, as captured in a viral video circulating on X. The group argued that the emergency rule, which they claim lacks constitutional backing, has caused economic hardship and stifled democratic governance in Rivers State.
The protesters also expressed dismay at the appointment of Ibas, who has suspended all political appointees and heads of government agencies, further deepening the sense of disenfranchisement. โRivers people deserve better than this undemocratic arrangement,โ a leader of the protest told Channels Television. They urged prominent Nigerians, including former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, and Goodluck Jonathan, to intervene and restore democratic institutions in the state.
The emergency rule stems from a protracted political crisis between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Tinubuโs decision to suspend elected officials and impose a sole administrator has drawn widespread criticism, with Fubaraโs kinsmen in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area and the Opobo Council of Chiefs labeling it a โblatant affront to democracy.โ They argue that Rivers, a relatively peaceful state, does not warrant such measures compared to states like Borno or Zamfara, which face severe security challenges.
While some women in Port Harcourt, led by former Commissioner Inime Aguma, have rallied in support of the emergency rule, praising its restoration of peace, the majority of protesters remain defiant. Their placards also questioned the rationale behind targeting Rivers, with one reading, โIs the law different for Rivers State?โ The womenโs resolve was evident as some sat on the ground, refusing to disperse despite security presence, chanting, โNo Sim, no Rivers State.โ
Fubara, in a recent statement, expressed depression over the crisis but vowed a stronger comeback, urging residents to remain peaceful. โWe believe in egalitarianism, and if our beliefs bring us some pain, so be it,โ he said, emphasizing his commitment to justice. His administrationโs projects, such as the reconstruction of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Trans Kalabari road, have been cited by supporters as evidence of his effective governance, further fueling calls for his reinstatement.
The Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group has called for international and civil society support to defend democracy in the state. The ongoing protests signal a growing resistance to the emergency rule, with the womenโs voices amplifying a broader demand for justice and democratic restoration in Rivers State
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