A large number of women on Friday, April 11, took over the Aba road area in Port Harcourt over the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, Rivers and Ngozi Odu, in Rivers state. The protesting women are calling for the reinstatement of Fubara.

The protest was said to have started from the major road and moved to the Rivers state government house. The protesters carried different placards with bold inscriptions saying "Bring back Fubara", “God of justice, arise for Rivers State”, “Save our democracy”, and “Is the law different for Rivers State?”

They were also seen chanting the songs of solidarity, and they described themselves as mothers and wives. They made their appeal to President Bola Tinubu to lift the suspension on the embattled governor and all other democratic institutions in the state.

Protesting women decry state of emergency

The protesting women decried the appointment of the sole administrator in the state as an “unconstitutional military rule masked as a state of emergency.” They insisted that the people of the state deserved something that was better than an undemocratic arrangement.

In a trending video, some of the leaders of the protest noted that they were frustrated over the unending political crisis in the state. They explained that despite the situation in the state, the suspended Governor Fubara had continued to work and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

One of the protesters said:

“We are a peaceful people and do not deserve this kind of injustice. The governor has been doing his job despite the distractions. What is happening now is not democracy.”

Women staged peaceful protests in Rivers

The protesting women, who were of all ages, maintained a peaceful protest. They explained that their demonstration has nothing to do with politics but is about the state, their votes and democratic values.

Earlier, the protesting women held prayers at the Isaac Boro Park before they moved with their march on the Aba Road. Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, the governor, his deputy, and members of the state house of assembly were all suspended as the political crisis became deeper.

President Tinubu subsequently announced the appointment of a sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, to manage the affairs of the state. See the video of the protesters below: