Port Harcourt: Mass Protest Over Tinubu’s Intervention On Rivers Crisis

There is a mass protest in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state, on Friday, December 22, over President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the political crisis rocking the state.

The protest was in solidarity with the embattled Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Among the protesters are students, civil society groups, youths, labour unions, and some members of the Hausa community in the state.

As early as 7am on Friday, the protesters occupied the government house on Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt. The protesters have been seen gathering under some erected canopies stationed at the entrance of the government house. This is coming barely 48 hours after former commissioner for works in the state, David Briggs, accused President Tinubu of forcing the governor to sign the resolution.

Briggs claimed he was one of the stakeholders who attended the meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday, December 18.

The former commissioner told journalists that the governor signed the resolution under duress. According to him, those blaming Governor Fubara should first find out what happened at the presidential villa. He disclosed that Tinubu came in with the written resolution, stating that what he had with him (Tinubu) was a “presidential proclamation.” According to him, Fubara has no option but to obliged because he cannot simultaneously fight internal and external crises.