A Rivers State women group under the auspices of the Rivers Professional Women League (RPWL), has refuted allegations by former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that they walked out on First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Wike had said their action of walking out on Mrs Tinubu during a function in the state was sponsored, “very disturbing and embarrassing.”
The women had created a scene on Friday when they staged a walkout during the Women’s Initiative Empowerment Programme organized by the wife of the President’s Renewed Hope Initiative in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
During the protest walk out, the women vehemently rejected being addressed by the wife of the Sole Administrator, Dr. Theresa Ibas who represented the First Lady at the programme.
While addressing the walk out in a statement issued by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike said the women were being sponsored by the same people who had been begging him for a reconciliation and a second chance, apparently referring to suspended Governor Sim Fubara.
But in a statement jointly signed by Nimi Fiberisima, Esq. President, Jennifer Boms Wolugbom, Secretary and Tambari Menete, Director of Publicity, the RPWL said Wike was only out to blackmail them by “trying hard to spin the narrative to soothe his purpose.”
The RPWL blamed the minister for allegedly spinning the narrative of what transpired at the event, stressing that they were misinformed that the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fatima Abass, was going to address them, only to realise that Ibas’s wife was the representative of the First Lady.
They argued that Wike’s constant use of the peaceful disposition of Rivers people to haunt them has become his article in trade in recent times and it will be unfair and counter-productive to continue on this path of blackmail.
They emphasized that Wike has devoted more time to activities in Rivers beyond his primary place of assignment in Abuja where he is superintending over as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
“We are miffed by this constant unnecessary heating 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 statement said
“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 reconciliation process, it does not translate to enslavement and/or insulting the sensibilities of Rivers people as being manipulated.
