Nigerian activists in US to protest against Rivers emergency rule at White House
A coalition of Nigerian activists in the United States has announced its plan to protest against the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State at the White House.
The coalition under the Democratic Movement (DM) demands the reversal of the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the restoration of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
A statement on Thursday by Cosmos Collins Achief, president of the group, said the protest aims to draw global attention to what the coalition describes as a “direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.”
“We cannot sit back while an elected governor is removed, an entire legislature is suspended, and an unelected administrator is imposed. These are dangerous precedents that threaten Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
The coalition said the protest will take place in Washington, D.C., with demonstrators marching to the White House and the U.S. Department of State to submit petitions demanding international intervention.
“The world needs to see what is happening in Rivers State. A democratically elected government has been suspended under the guise of emergency rule. We are urging President Donald Trump to engage with Nigerian authorities and call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order,” the statement added.
The pro-democracy movement also called on global leaders, including the United Nations and the African Union, to take notice of what it describes as a blatant attack on democratic governance in Nigeria.
“The president must understand that his actions could lead to serious diplomatic consequences. This move is a step toward dictatorship, and Nigeria risks facing international sanctions if democratic principles are not respected,” Achief warned.
The demonstration is expected to draw the attention of Nigerians in the diaspora, civil rights activists, and supporters of democracy who share concerns about governance in Nigeria.
