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The political crisis in Rivers has taken a new turn as a coalition of women groups stormed the streets of Port Harcourt in support of the emergency rule in the oil-rich state.
The women who were dressed in white marched from the Garrison Flyover to the Isaac Boro Cark and were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as “State of Emergency is Constitutional”, “We Don’t Want Fubara,” among others.
They were led by a former Commissioner for Social Welfare in Rivers, Ifeyinwa Aguma, who is an ally of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. The protesters threw their weight behind Ibok-Ette Ibas, who President Bola Tinubu appointed as the administrator of the state. They urged him to continue his good work in the state.
Monday’s protest is coming on the heels of last week’s women’s demonstration in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended by Tinubu owing to the political crisis in the state.
Last month, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, owing to the unending political crisis in the state. He suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
Citing “security reports,” in the wake of two pipeline explosions in the state, Tinubu said the declaration of a state of emergency was “inevitably compelling”.
“By this declaration,” Tinubu said, “the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
He appointed Ibas to supervise the affairs of the state pending the resolution of the crisis in a move that has continued to sharply divide opinions across the country. But on Monday, the women protesters backed the president, describing his action as constitutional.
The governors of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have, however, rejected the declaration and have headed to the court to challenge the imposition.
