Rivers women, under the aegis of the Rivers Professional Women League, RPWL, on Saturday refuted the minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike,’s insinuation that their action of walking out on the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, was “very disturbing and embarrassing.”
The women staged a walkout on Friday during the president’s wife’s women’s empowerment initiative ceremony, refusing to be addressed by the wife of the sole administrator, Dr. Theresa Ibas, who represented the First Lady at the event in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
They accused the FCT minister of manipulating the story of what happened on Friday and said that they were misled into believing that the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fatima Abass, would speak to them.
Wike, in a statement issued by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, “It is not enough to be visiting people to plead for peace; those who genuinely want peace work and act for it. These are the same people pleading for peace but, at the same time, doing things that are contrary to what they are pleading for.
“How can you say you want peace, and at the same time, you are sponsoring people to insult everyone, including the president and his wife? All those shenanigans won’t bring peace, and I am sure they know that, because they are not sincere with their up-and-down pleadings for peace.
“As for me and those who subscribe to my leadership, we condemn in totality yesterday’s show of shame, and we apologise to our First Lady for the embarrassing conduct of those few women who do not represent the characters and ideals of the people of Rivers State.”
In a statement signed by Nimi Fiberisima, Esq., President; Jennifer Boms Wolugbom, Secretary; and Tambari Menete, Director of Publicity, the ladies said the minister was simply trying to “spin the narrative to soothe his purpose”.
They argued that using the peaceful disposition of Rivers people to hunt them has become the article of trade in recent times and that continuing on this path of blackmail would be unfair and counterproductive.
They also stated that Wike has devoted more time to activities in Rivers State than his primary place of assignment in Abuja, where he serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
“We are miffed by this constant unnecessary hitting up of Rivers’ polity. It is trite to inform the public that Gov. Siminalayi Fubara is not by any means involved or directed any of the Rivers women to act on his behalf as to what transpired in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 2, 2025.
“The women are just organic supporters who do not want to be taken for a ride. Much as Governor Siminalayi Fubara is toeing the path of peace and embarking on a reconciliation process, it does not translate to enslavement and/or insulting the sensibilities of Rivers people as being manipulated.
“It is apparent that Rivers women did not and cannot walk out on the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, or disrespect her husband, President Bola Tinubu. Such a narrative is the imaginative spinning of Chief Nyesom Wike to blackmail Rivers people, as always.
“What people failed to understand is that political positions are transient and in no time this phase of history will pass and all the actors will also fizzle out, some on the good side and some others on the bad side.”
The women recalled that a similar event in Delta saw nursing school students express their dissatisfaction in front of the First Lady, but no one shouted blue murder or linked the action to the governor, despite the fact that the students were mobilised by the state. “Why are things always different in Rivers State just because Wike is a minister?
“The truth remains that Rivers women hold the Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in high esteem and couldn’t have walked out on her. The disconnect is that women were misinformed that the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, would be represented by the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Abbas Tajudeen, on the strength of which they happily mobilised and excitedly prepared to receive her.
“Unfortunately, as they gathered in expectation, they were shocked to see Mrs Theresa Ibas, which in itself was improper.
“It is therefore unfounded and preposterous for Chief Nyesom Wike to suddenly conclude, as always, to say the least, that Rivers women embarrassed the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and by extension Mr President.
“Undoubtedly, Rivers women respect and love Mr President, his leadership and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and support her visionary empowerment programme, the Renewed Hope Initiative, but the challenge is that often, Chief Nyesom Wike tends to be more Catholic than the Pope.
“He feels he is the only Nigerian that loves and supports the president most and almost believes that the president’s breath depends on him.
“Let it be clear to all that ‘a tree does not make a forest’. Let’s heed the caution of the time, as time, indeed, will certainly tell,” they said.
