Several hours have passed since a group of women in Rivers State walked out of the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme, organised by the office of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
The New Daily Prime reported that the women left when Theresa Ibas, wife of the state’s sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, was invited to address them.
Reacting to the action, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike condemned the walkout staged by a group of women in Port Harcourt on Friday
He described the act as ‘disturbing’ and ‘embarrassing’, in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
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Wike, who is currently on an official trip to China, expressed regret over the incident, which he said cast the people of the state in a bad light.
Wike alleged that the women, reportedly led by former local government vice chairpersons loyal to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, walked out during the empowerment programme held at the EUI Event Centre in GRA, Port Harcourt.
The programme was aimed at empowering 500 women across the state with various support items.
Wike apologised to both President Bola Tinubu and his wife, stating, “Any insult directed at someone representing the First Lady of Nigeria at an official event is a direct insult to the Office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a leader in Rivers State, I apologise.”
The FCT Minister accused the suspended governor’s loyalists of acting in bad faith, warning that their actions were undermining peace efforts in the state.
“It is not enough to visit people and plead for peace. Those who truly desire peace must act in line with their words,” Wike said.
“How can you claim to want peace while sponsoring people to insult the President and his wife?”
He described the walkout as a “show of shame” and reaffirmed that it does not reflect the values and ideals of Rivers people.
READ ALSO: Rivers women walk out on Ibas’ wife, chant ‘we want Simi’
“We condemn in totality the disgraceful conduct of those few women who clearly do not represent the character of Rivers State. I again extend our unreserved apology to the First Lady.”
The incident comes amid ongoing political tension in Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and a prolonged crisis between factions loyal to Wike and the embattled governor.
