Women protest in support of Rivers emergency rule

A coalition of women’s groups has staged a protest in Port Harcourt in support of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.

The protesters were led by a former commissioner for social welfare in Rivers, Ifeyinwa Aguma.

They said they are in support of Ibok-Ette Ibas, the administrator of the state, appointed by the president, Bola Tinubu.

The protesters called on Ibas to continue what they described as his good work in the state.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the 18th of March, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.

President Tinubu cited constitutional violations, the demolition of the state House of Assembly, and failure to restore democratic order despite Supreme Court rulings as the reasons for the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of Governor Fubara, his Deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state legislature for an initial six-month period.

However, the declaration of the state of emergency and suspension of Governor Sim Fubara have generated mixed reactions.

While the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the state of emergency, they called for the inauguration of a National Peace and Reconciliation Committee to mediate among the parties involved in the political crisis in Rivers State.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) demanded the immediate reversal of the state of emergency in Rivers State, as the action violates the provisions of Part II, Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and constitutes an overreach of executive power.