The struggle for citizens’ acceptance of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State has continued. Another group of women in the state have taken to the streets of Port Harcourt to conduct a rally in support of the sole administrator of the state, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and emergency rule. The women who were
The struggle for citizens’ acceptance of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State has continued. Another group of women in the state have taken to the streets of Port Harcourt to conduct a rally in support of the sole administrator of the state, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and emergency rule.
The women who were seen wearing white clothes and holding placards and banners on Monday expressed their support for President Bola Tinubu for suspending the democratic activities in the state, including the suspension of the state Governor, Siminalyi Fubara, and his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu, as well as the House of Assembly.
Displaying their rally inscriptions, such as “prosecute the bombers of the Rivers Assembly”, “state of emergency is constitutional”, “prosecute bloated contracts by Fubara”, “no ethnic war in Rivers State”, and “no more Fubara”, the women also declared their support for the continuation of the sole administration in the state.
Their rally is a counteraction to last week’s Friday protest staged by a separate group of women who similarly took to the streets of Port Harcourt to protest against the declaration of a state of emergency in the state and the suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The anti-state-of-emergency women, just like the rally that was held today, marched in the city with different solidarity songs directed at President Bola Tinubu to end the state of emergency, recall Governor Fubara, and lift the suspension he placed on all democratic institutions and democratically elected leaders in the state.
After a protracted political conflict between the camp of the suspended governor of River State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesome Wike, which led to instability in the state, on March 18th, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state and announced the suspension of elected officials.
The President then replaced the elected official with a sole administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd), to manage the state’s affairs and calm the unrest, claiming that the prolonged tension was negatively impacting peace and stability in the state.
However, the actions of the president did not sit well with many Nigerians, stakeholders, and non-governmental organisations who accused him of committing an affront to the 1999 Constitution.
While the opposition state governors under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) approached the Supreme Court to determine the legality of the President’s action, the Nigerian Bar Association in its protest decided to change the venue of its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Enugu.
Giving its reasons for the change in venue for its conference, the NBA criticised the Rivers State Sole Administrator for operating with a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigation.
Rivers Sole Administrator, Hits Back at the NBA/strong>
However, in response to the NBA’s decision to relocate its conference, Hector Igbikiowubo, Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Rivers State Government, stated that while the NBA is entitled to choose the location of its events, the state government disagreed with the lawyer’s association’s reasoning, calling it misleading and uncharitable.
In the statement the State government justified the legitimacy of the emergency rule, maintaining that the declaration was necessary as the President was deliberate about restoring orderliness to the state.
The statement partly reads “The NBA’s statement overlooks the constitutional basis for the current administration in Rivers State. The declaration of a state of emergency was a necessary response to a breakdown of public order and democratic processes.
His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, in exercising his constitutional authority, acted in the best interest of the state to restore stability. The Sole Administrator’s mandate is clear: to oversee a transitional period that ensures the return of full democratic governance in line with the Constitution. To suggest that this intervention “flouts the rule of law” is not only incorrect but also ignores the Supreme Court’s rulings that have validated key decisions made during this period.
“Contrary to the NBA’s assertions, the Sole Administrator has consistently reaffirmed his commitment to restoring democratic institutions as soon as practicable. The administration has consistently upheld the constitutional rights of all residents, including freedom of movement, speech, and association, and has respected judicial pronouncements, including those of the Supreme Court, which have guided its actions.
The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism.”
The Rivers State government, on the other hand, asked the NBA to refund the ₦300 million it has paid for the hosting rights of the legal body’s conference, as it accused the NBA of a selective principle stand as it failed to address the funds that have been paid.
“While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position’—didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference. If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
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