Rivers Women Call Out Wike for False Accusations, Reaffirm Loyalty to Tinubu Administration

 

Tensions flared in Rivers State over the weekend following comments made by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), regarding an empowerment programme organized under the Renewed Hope Initiative, championed by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Wike had alleged that the walkout by some women during the event in Port Harcourt was a deliberate act of protest orchestrated by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to insult both President Bola Tinubu and his wife.

Those remarks have since triggered a pointed response from the Rivers Professional Women League, a coalition of women leaders and professionals across the state. The group, in a strongly worded statement, described Wike’s claims as "false and misleading," warning against attempts to manipulate public opinion and politicize the incident.

Signed by the League's President, Nimi Fiberesima, alongside Jennifer Boms Wolugbom (Secretary) and Tambari Menete (Director of Publicity), the statement denounced the idea that Rivers women would ever intentionally disrespect the nation's leadership. “It is apparent that Rivers women did not and cannot walk out on the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu or disrespect her husband, President Bola Tinubu. Such a narrative is the imaginative spinning of Chief Nyesom Wike to blackmail Rivers people as always,” the group said.

At the heart of the controversy was the last-minute change in the programme’s representation. The women had reportedly been told that Fatima Abbas Tajudeen, wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, would represent the First Lady. However, they were surprised when Theresa Ibas, wife of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, appeared instead.

This unexpected substitution, according to the League, led to confusion and disappointment among some of the attendees, prompting a section of the audience to leave. Yet the group was quick to emphasize that this was not a protest against the First Lady or the President, but a spontaneous reaction to what they saw as a deviation from protocol.

Far from being antagonistic towards the Tinubu administration, the League reiterated their support for the Renewed Hope Initiative, which they praised as a timely and visionary effort to uplift women across the country. “Undoubtedly, Rivers women respect and love Mr. President, his leadership and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and support her visionary empowerment programme, Renewed Hope Initiative,” the statement affirmed.

Questions have emerged about why the minister would publicly assign blame for the incident to Governor Fubara without investigating the facts or understanding the context. The women’s group took aim at Wike’s penchant for political drama, accusing him of exaggerating loyalty to the President in a way that sows division within the state.

“But the challenge is that often, Chief Nyesom Wike tends to be more Catholic than the Pope,” the group declared, in a scathing critique. “He feels he is the only Nigerian that loves and supports the President most, and almost believes that the President’s breath depends on him.”

The League did not stop at defending their actions but broadened their criticism to Wike's broader political conduct. They expressed concern that the minister appears more invested in meddling with the internal affairs of Rivers than carrying out his duties in Abuja. “Instead of addressing his responsibilities as Minister of the FCT, he is more preoccupied with fomenting crises in Rivers State,” the statement read.

To support their position, the League cited a similar incident that took place during a Renewed Hope Initiative programme in Delta State, where some women also walked out over grievances. That occurrence, they argued, was not subjected to the same politicized scrutiny or public condemnation, suggesting a double standard driven by Wike’s personal agenda in Rivers.

Observers believe that this latest exchange is another chapter in the ongoing political standoff between Wike and his estranged successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Once allies, their relationship has deteriorated into open confrontation, with Wike often taking swipes at the governor’s administration while Fubara pushes back against perceived meddling.

The current debacle places the spotlight once more on the tense political climate in Rivers, where loyalties are sharply divided and narratives easily weaponized. The women’s group warned against using federal platforms to advance personal vendettas, insisting that such tactics would only further destabilize the state and undermine national unity.

Calls are now growing for a more measured and respectful approach to governance, particularly from those who hold federal office. As the statement concluded, “It is time to stop using Rivers State as a chessboard for political manipulation. The women of Rivers deserve better — and so does Nigeria.”