Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, of orchestrating actions to embarrass President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while simultaneously seeking reconciliation with the presidency.
The allegation comes in the wake of a dramatic protest staged by a group of women during an empowerment programme organized by the Renewed Hope Initiative in Port Harcourt. The programme, held on May 2, featured the wife of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Mrs. Theresa Ibas, who was addressing the gathering when some women staged a walkout, chanting slogans in support of Fubara and his wife, Valerie Sim-Fubara.
In response to the incident, Wike, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the act. He described the protest as an “insult” to the office of the First Lady and a direct affront to President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Insulting the representative of the First Lady of Nigeria at a public event is tantamount to insulting the President himself. It is very disturbing and a national embarrassment,” Wike said. He offered an apology to the President and his wife on behalf of the people of Rivers State.
The FCT Minister further accused Fubara of playing double standards, claiming the suspended governor was pleading for political peace and intervention from President Tinubu while simultaneously sponsoring actions that undermine those efforts.
“You cannot be visiting leaders to beg for peace and, at the same time, sponsoring people to disrupt national events and insult the First Lady. Those who genuinely seek peace must act in good faith,” he added.
Wike warned that such behavior would not earn Fubara any reprieve from his current political predicament. He emphasized that actions contrary to the interest of national unity and decorum would only worsen the crisis in Rivers State.
The incident adds another layer to the ongoing political tension in the state, which intensified in March when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency, leading to the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly. A sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), was appointed to oversee the affairs of the state.
The protest highlights the deep divisions within the state’s political landscape and raises questions about the sincerity of reconciliation efforts being pursued by key actors in the crisis.
