The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has tendered an apology to President Bola Tinubu and condemned the conduct of a group of women believed to be loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, after they staged a walkout during an event attended by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu in Port Harcourt.
The women were at an empowerment programme held at the EUI Centre in the city, where 500 women from across Rivers State were set to benefit from the Renewed Hope Initiative.
But according to reports, the women—many of them former local government vice-chairpersons sacked by the state government—left the venue after reportedly being excluded from the event schedule. They claimed they were replaced by individuals aligned with Wike’s political camp.
In response, Wike, who is currently in China on an official trip, issued a public statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, Lere Olayinka. In the statement, he condemned the incident, calling it a “show of shame” and a serious embarrassment to the people of Rivers State.
Wike noted, “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 character and ideals of the people of Rivers State.”
He described the walkout as not only an insult to the First Lady, but also a direct affront to the office of the President, Bola Tinubu. Wike extended a full apology to both the President and his wife on behalf of Rivers people.
The former governor also accused Governor Fubara of being behind the protest, claiming it was part of a political strategy that lacked sincerity. He questioned the governor’s peace efforts, pointing out that actions like sponsoring walkouts contradict any real intention to bring calm to the state.
“How can you claim to want peace and at the same time sponsor people to insult everyone, including the President and his wife?” Wike said. “All these shenanigans will not bring peace, and I am sure they know that — because they are not sincere in their back-and-forth calls for peace.”
