From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Thousands of Rivers Women for Good Governance, yesterday, hit the streets of Port Harcourt in support of the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State.
They also said their peaceful rally was to demonstrate support for the efforts of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), for restoring democratic governance, peace and stability in the state.
The women who were dressed in white attire, said the declaration of state of emergency is constitutional and they welcomed it in their state.
Last week, anti-state of emergency women wore black clothes and protested to the Government House, Port Harcourt, expressing their disgust for emergency rule in the state.
They called on President Tinubu to reinstate suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy and exit of the sole administrator.
The protesters declared their total support for the embattled governor, Fubara, saying he was democratically elected, and suspending him from office was an injustice against him and the state.
But the women protesters rejected calls for the governor’s reinstatement and urged the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), to investigate the bloated contracts awarded by the governor, adding that there was no tribal war in Rivers State.
According to the women, the President Tinubu sending Ibas to restore peace and order in the state was divine.
They said governance is a serious business and requires serious-minded leaders, saying it is not for people like the suspended Governor.
Inscriptions on some of their placards read: ‘State of emergency is constitutional’, ‘Investigate the bloated contracts of Sim Fubara’, ‘No tribal war in Rivers State. No more Fubara’, ‘Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, you are Godsent to Rivers State’ and ‘Governance is a serious business for only serious-minded persons.’
Some of the women, Margaret, Peace, Choice and Nengi told the reporter that before the declaration of state of emergency by President Tinubu, they lived in fear in the state.