Hundreds of women took to the streets of Port Harcourt on Friday in a powerful demonstration demanding the immediate reinstatement of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The protest, marked by bold chants and placards, was aimed at drawing national attention to what the women described as a blatant subversion of democracy in Rivers State.
The demonstrators, made up largely of women identifying themselves as “mothers and wives,” marched peacefully to the Government House, where they called for justice, accountability, and the return of their elected leader.
“We are here because we believe in democracy, and what has happened in Rivers State is nothing short of an assault on our democratic rights,” one of the protesters said. “Governor Fubara was elected by the people and should be allowed to serve his term.”
The women carried placards bearing inscriptions such as: “Bring Back Fubara,” “Save Our Democracy,” “End Injustice and Bring Back Our Governor,” “Is the Law Different for Rivers State?” and “God of Justice, Arise for Rivers State.”
They also issued a passionate appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to reverse what they described as a political injustice. “We are pleading with President Tinubu to do what is right and reinstate Governor Fubara immediately. Rivers people deserve democracy, not dictatorship,” another protester declared.
The protesters condemned the March 2025 suspension of Fubara, which followed the Federal Government’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State. The emergency measure, which also saw the suspension of the Deputy Governor and members of the State House of Assembly, has been widely criticized.
“This is not a state of emergency; it is a quiet military coup disguised in legal terms,” one of the women said, expressing deep frustration. “How can an elected government be dissolved without due process? It’s unconstitutional and unacceptable.”
Describing the situation as a “dangerous precedent,” the women warned that democracy in Nigeria was under threat if such actions were allowed to stand.
“Today it’s Fubara, tomorrow it could be any other elected official in another state. If we remain silent, we give permission for tyranny to thrive,” a protest leader told the crowd.
