President Bola Tinubu has been urged to lift the state of emergency placed on Rivers State and restore Governor Siminalayi Fubara back to office.
A statement by Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group represented by Professor Roseline Konya decried the continuation of the state of emergency which they said has taken negative toll on the women, youths, children and the economy of the state.
According to the statement, the group noted that Rivers Women, are in need of genuine reconciliation amongst the disputing parties and ask the major actors in the conflict to put Rivers State first in all their dealings even as they set aside every grievance so as to pave the way for absolute peace to thrive in the state.
The group assured President Tinubu of their commitment to stand by him in appreciation for the lifting of the emergency rule and the restoration of Governor Fubara back in office.
According to the statement, the group further sympathized with families who lost loved ones in the recent attacks in Plateau, Benue, Gombe and called for more security measures to confront the dire situation and restore normalcy in those areas.
Below is the Full Script
APPEAL BY RIVERS WOMEN UNITE PRAYER GROUP TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU TO SAVE RIVERS WOMEN AND THE STATE BY LIFTING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY
Our Dear President and Father of the Nation.
As part of efforts for peace, reconciliation and restoration, we, the Women of Rivers State, under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group are still appealing to you to save Rivers people from the burden of the emergency rule in the State. The continuation of the state of emergency in Rivers State is taking a great toll on the women, the youths and the children as the economy is sliding down and gradually becoming comatose.
We are therefore looking up to the President, who we are solidly behind, to rescue Rivers Women by lifting this burden of state of emergency from our dear State and to restore our democratic institutions.
We assure Mr. President to continue standing by him, as part of our appreciation to his acceding to our fervent cry for the lifting of the emergency rule and the restoring of our duly elected governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
We remain resolute in this demand for the sake of equity, justice and good conscience. We, as Rivers Women, are also calling for genuine reconciliation amongst the parties and ask the major actors to put Rivers State first in all their dealings and to put aside every grievance so as to pave the way for love and absolute peace to thrive.
It is obvious that our State is the major loser of the emergency rule as many development actions are on suspension and our people are languishing in anxiety as an aftermath. Let us all rise above self and be patriotic to salvage our State from this abyss. That is why we are appealing to Mr. President to save the economy of our dear State and urgently lift this emergency rule to provide for a seamless return of progressive development.
Meanwhile, we sympathise with families who lost loved ones in the recent killing attacks in Plateau, Benue and even Gombe and call for more security measures to confront the dire situation and restore normalcy in those troubled areas of our dear nation. Our earnest call is based on the fact that what affects the eyes, also affects the nose.
We need sustainable peace and development in our country and pray for a better Nigeria.
Signed
Dr. Vivian Ige-Elenwo
Chikodi Okpara
Read by Prof. Roseline Konya
On behalf of Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group
