A fresh wave of political unrest is again shaking Rivers State, with the once-celebrated peace accord between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister Nyesom Wike now appearing completely broken.
What started as a hopeful attempt at reconciliation is fast unraveling, following a dramatic fallout during a women’s empowerment event organized under the office of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The event, meant to empower 500 women from Rivers State, ended in chaos last Friday when the beneficiaries abruptly walked out on the First Lady’s representative, Dr. Theresa Ibas.
Dr. Ibas, who is the wife of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (Rtd), currently the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was taken aback by the sudden protest. The programme, held in Port Harcourt, quickly drew national attention as videos surfaced online showing the disgruntled women exiting the venue.
The walkout sparked a strong reaction from Wike, who is currently on an official trip to China. In a public statement, he said: “An insult on anyone representing the First Lady of Nigeria in an event is a direct insult on the Office of the President and Commander-In-Chief. As a leader in Rivers State, I apologise.”
However, many women leaders and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region disagreed with Wike’s position. They noted that the event had been misrepresented to fuel political tension and that Governor Fubara had no hand in the walkout.
Annkio Briggs, a respected activist and spokesperson for the Ijaw Republican Assembly, described the attempt to link the governor to the incident as unfair and politically motivated. “Blaming Governor Fubara is like giving a dog a bad name to hang it,” she stated, pointing out that the women had genuinely looked forward to the event.
Briggs further explained that members of the “Rivers Women Unite for Sim” (RWUS) had mobilized support across all 23 local governments, made banners featuring Mrs. Tinubu and Mrs. Fubara, and even brought gifts to present at the programme.
Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), also noted that the women showed no signs of disrespect. “Their vests bore the names of both Mrs. Tinubu and Governor Fubara. Would they do that if they intended to be disrespectful?” he asked.
Still, Wike’s camp remained firm. Through his media aide Lere Olayinka, he accused unnamed persons of trying to sabotage peace efforts. “You can’t claim to want peace while sponsoring people to insult the President and his wife,” Olayinka quoted Wike as saying.
The women later issued a response, rejecting any suggestion that their protest was coordinated by political figures. “Governor Fubara had no involvement in our actions. We are organic supporters, not puppets,” their statement read. They added that while they supported the governor’s peace agenda, they would not allow Rivers people to be politically manipulated.
