Restore Democratic Governance in Rivers State- Civil Society Groups





 Some civil society organisations have marched on the streets of Port Harcourt asking for the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State.

The groups, comprising of Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, WRAPA, and Concerned Civil Sociery Organisations made the call in a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.


The group expressed regret that President Tinubu ignored the importance of June 12 and democratic ideals in which the winner of the election in 1993, Bashorun MKO Abiola paid the supreme price. It added that the president acted beyond his powers when in March 18 imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State and removed the  governor his deputy and the members of the the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months and imposed a retired military man as administrator.


The group , in the statement , argued that the events in Rivers State have not degenerated to what is happening in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa States where there have been series of violence without the president declaring  a state of emergency or dismantling democratic structures.


in the letter to the president, the group called on President Tinubu to restore democratic government in Rivers State and recall the governor, his deputy and the house of assembly through an executive order. They also want the president to direct the National Assembly to amend the 2022 Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results during elections compulsory, and also make law to declare invalid votes of poling units with violence and ballot box snatching.



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