The political tension in Rivers State escalated further on Monday as a coalition of women groups took to the streets of Port Harcourt, openly declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in the oil-rich state. The women, adorned in white attire, marched from the Garrison Flyover to the Isaac Boro Park, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions like “State of Emergency is Constitutional” and “We Don’t Want Fubara.”
Leading the march was Ifeyinwa Aguma, a former Rivers State Commissioner for Social Welfare and known ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The women demonstrators threw their weight behind Rear Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd.), whom Tinubu appointed as the administrator of the state following the emergency declaration. The group praised Ibas for “restoring order” and urged him to continue his oversight of the state until the political situation stabilizes.
Monday’s protest is a direct response to last week’s demonstration by another group of women who rallied in support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The governor was suspended from office last month by President Tinubu amid deepening political strife and security concerns in the state. Tinubu also suspended Fubara’s deputy, Ngozi Odu, along with all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The president justified his controversial action by citing security intelligence and recent pipeline explosions in Rivers, which he said posed serious threats to national stability. Declaring the situation as “inevitably compelling,” Tinubu emphasized that the emergency rule was enacted to safeguard the state and restore calm in the wake of political hostilities.
Since then, the president’s move has polarized political actors across the country. While supporters of Wike have celebrated the decision as a return to order, opposition leaders have condemned the declaration as undemocratic and illegal. The governors under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to which Fubara belongs, have strongly rejected Tinubu’s imposition of emergency rule and have taken the matter to court. They argue that the suspension of a democratically elected governor and legislature violates constitutional principles and sets a dangerous precedent.
Nevertheless, the women demonstrators in Port Harcourt on Monday declared that Tinubu acted within the bounds of the Constitution. They described the president’s intervention as a necessary step to prevent further chaos and ensure good governance in Rivers State. Their march, which was largely peaceful, drew attention from security agencies, who monitored the event closely to prevent any disruption.
The crisis in Rivers began as a rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, now serving as Minister of the FCT. What started as internal party disagreements soon spiraled into a full-blown political standoff involving the State House of Assembly and various political stakeholders, leading to violent confrontations and rising insecurity in parts of the state.
As events continue to unfold, all eyes remain on the judiciary to determine the legality of Tinubu’s emergency declaration, while the people of Rivers anxiously await a resolution to the crisis that has now divided communities and strained the state’s governance.
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