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Women Rally in Rivers, Defend Emergency Rule as ‘Constitutional’ Amid Political Storm

Women Rally in Rivers, Defend Emergency Rule as ‘Constitutional’ Amid Political Storm

Hundreds of women marched in Port Harcourt, voicing support for President Tinubu’s March 18 emergency rule in Rivers State, which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and appointed Commodore Daniel Ibas as Sole Administrator.

Organized by the Rivers Women for Stability (RWS), the protesters, waving placards reading “Peace Over Politics” and “Ibas Means Progress,” called the measure “constitutional” to restore order after clashes tied to Fubara’s feud with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. RWS leader Grace Okorie, a retired teacher, claimed the emergency saved Rivers from “anarchy,” pointing to a 2024 arson attack on the state Assembly that cost ₦500 million.

The declaration, under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, followed disputes over budget control and local elections, with Wike’s loyalists alleging Fubara defied court orders. Supporters cite Ibas’ ₦1 billion road repairs as proof of stability, but critics, including the Nigerian Bar Association, argue it undermines democracy, Rivers’ 5.6 million voters elected Fubara in 2023.

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Opposition protests, led by groups like Rivers Women Unite for Sim, draw 3,000 weekly, demanding Fubara’s reinstatement. The women’s march, attended by 800, highlighted Nigeria’s polarized politics, with 2024’s 1,200 violent incidents underscoring the stakes. Ibas praised the rally, but legal challenges loom, testing Rivers’ fragile peace as 2025 unfolds.