The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has strongly criticised the walkout staged by a group of women loyal to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, during an event attended by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Describing the act as a disgrace to the people of Rivers State, Wike offered a public apology to both the First Lady and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that any insult directed at the First Lady or her representative amounts to an affront to the Office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“An insult to anyone standing in for the First Lady is an insult to the President himself. As a leader in Rivers State, I offer my sincere apology,” Wike said.
The protest reportedly occurred during the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme held at the EUI Event Centre in GRA, Port Harcourt. The initiative, organised by the Office of the First Lady, was designed to benefit 500 women in the state through various empowerment interventions.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka currently on official duty in China—Wike expressed disappointment over the actions of the women, some of whom were former local government vice chairpersons. He called the incident “highly disturbing and embarrassing,” urging Governor Fubara’s supporters to stop tarnishing the state’s image.
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The Minister also advised the suspended governor to be forthright in his dealings with President Tinubu.
“It is not enough to visit people and plead for peace while sponsoring actions that contradict that very message. If peace is truly what you seek, your words and actions must align,” Wike stated.
He further criticised what he described as insincere efforts towards reconciliation: “You cannot claim to want peace and at the same time orchestrate public insults against the President and his wife. Such conduct will not foster peace, and I believe they are fully aware of that.”
Wike concluded by reaffirming his stance and that of his political allies: “Those of us who believe in my leadership completely condemn yesterday’s disgraceful conduct. We apologise to the First Lady, as those women do not reflect the values and character of Rivers State.”
