Hundreds of women from across Rivers State stormed the streets of Port Harcourt on Friday in a powerful demonstration against the ongoing state of emergency imposed by the Federal Government. The protest, which culminated at the gates of the Government House, voiced a resounding call for the restoration of democratic governance and an end to what they described as the “overreach” of the state’s Sole Administrator.
Carrying placards with bold inscriptions, the women decried the suspension of democratic institutions and demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu immediately reinstate constitutional order in the state.
Reading a unified statement on behalf of the group, spokesperson Nancy Chidi Nwankwo declared: “We, the women of Rivers State, gathered under the banner of justice and democracy, express our deep concern and total rejection of the recent declaration of a state of emergency in our beloved state. This imposition is not driven by any genuine threat to national security but is clearly a politically motivated maneuver aimed at subjugating our people and undermining our constitutional democracy.”
The statement accused the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), of exceeding his mandate and turning the emergency administration into a political tool.
“His actions betray the impartiality expected of his office and reveal the real intention behind this emergency rule—a calculated power grab under the guise of national interest,” the women alleged.
The group further criticized what they described as selective federal intervention, questioning why Rivers—a state they say remains largely peaceful—was targeted, while states suffering widespread insurgency and violence, such as Borno, Zamfara, and Kaduna, were left without similar federal emergency action.
“What we are witnessing is not governance—it is occupation. Not democracy, but autocracy,” the statement emphasized.
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers in March, suspending all democratic institutions and appointing a Sole Administrator. The move has since sparked debate and drawn criticism from civil society groups, opposition figures, and now, organized women groups.
The protesters vowed to continue their campaign until democratic governance is restored, signaling growing public resistance to the ongoing federal intervention in the state’s political affairs.
