Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has criticized the Nigeria Police for clamping down on peaceful protesters in Rivers State.
The police fired teargas at women protesting in Ahoada East Local Government Area, who were demanding Fubara’s reinstatement and opposing the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
Meanwhile, another group of women in Port Harcourt, led by former Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs. Inime Aguma, protested in support of the emergency rule, claiming it had brought relative calm and peace to the state.
Fubara’s aide, Jerry Omatsogunwa, praised the pro-Fubara protesters as “heroes of democracy” and accused the police of unequal treatment, providing security for the pro-emergency rule protesters while teargassing the others.
Omatsogunwa also questioned the sole administrator’s motives, suggesting he might have a hidden agenda.
The crisis in Rivers State escalated after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, and appointing Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as sole administrator for six months.
This move was challenged in court by 11 PDP governors, who are contesting the President’s powers to declare emergency rule and suspend elected officials in a state [no doc ids cited for this specific news].
