Hundreds of women drawn from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State on Wednesday, gathered at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt to protests the state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu while praying for God’s intervention and the restoration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s mandate.
The women under the auspices of
‘Women Unite for Sim’, and led by
the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, and popular Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, engaged in a prayer session, expressing regret that the state would be placed under a Sole Administrator.
Speaking at the event Semenitari, a former broadcaster with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), said President Tinubu was ill-advised in declaring the state of emergency, noting that he acted on poor advice but maintained that the women would not allow their voices to be silenced.
“We have been praying for the judgment of God on all who desire evil for Rivers State, and we have been praying for peace upon all who desire it,” Semenitari said.
“As human beings, we feel disappointed because we want our governor to govern without encumbrances. However, we also know that God reigns over the affairs of men, and nothing happens without His knowledge, notice, or permission.
“We believe the president seeks the good of Nigeria—we would like to believe that—but it is up to him to prove us right or wrong. We hope his actions are in the best interest of Rivers State and Nigeria.
“Our governor has urged us to remain peaceful, and we will follow his directive. Governor Siminalayi Fubara has asked his supporters to be peace-loving and to avoid any acts of violence.
“So, if the governor has said so, we should all abide by it and continue lifting our eyes to the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah Sabaoth, believing He will act for the people of Rivers State.
“I believe the presidency was ill-advised in this move. I don’t think it was well thought out. But then again, the president has a broader view of the situation, and I do not. Rivers people must continue to trust in God, pray, and remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“However, we must not allow our voices to be silenced. We must speak up—peacefully—and continue urging those in power to put Rivers first.”
Also speaking at the gathering, Dokubo described the crisis as a battle for the economic soul of the state, and called on President Tinubu to bring Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to order.
“For the first time, we have seen that our riverine terrain is not an obstacle to development. Roads are now connecting riverine communities, and civil servants are being paid, including a 13th-month salary.
“The economy is picking up, so why kill it again? That’s what they want to do—this is a fight for the economic soul of Rivers State. Someone wants to seize it. This is not about all the drama with Siminalayi.”