A coalition of Nigerian activists in the United States, operating under the Democratic Movement (DM), has announced plans to stage a protest at the White House in response to the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State. The demonstration is aimed at calling for the reversal of the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu, the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the restoration of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Cosmos Collins Achief, president of the group, declared that the protest seeks to draw global attention to what the coalition terms a “direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, Achief asserted, “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.”

The protest is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., with demonstrators marching towards both the White House and the U.S. Department of State. Participants intend to submit petitions demanding international intervention to restore constitutional order in Rivers State. The coalition has also called upon global leaders, including those at the United Nations and the African Union, to take notice of what they describe as a blatant attack on democratic governance in Nigeria.

In a further warning, Achief stressed that the actions of President Tinubu could lead to serious diplomatic repercussions.

“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,” he cautioned.

This protest is expected to galvanise Nigerians in the diaspora, alongside civil rights activists and supporters of democracy who are increasingly concerned about the state of governance in Nigeria.