Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticized suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over a walkout staged by a group of women during an event hosted by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in Port Harcourt.
The incident occurred on Friday, May 2, during the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme at the EUI Event Centre, where 500 women were expected to benefit from various support packages.
However, the event took an unexpected turn when several attendees, said to be loyal to Fubara, abruptly left the venue.
In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, Wike described the walkout as “disturbing and embarrassing,” and issued an apology to both the First Lady and President Bola Tinubu.
“An insult to anyone representing the First Lady is a direct insult to the Office of the President,” Wike said, condemning the action as a “show of shame” that does not reflect the values of Rivers people.
According to Wike, the protest was allegedly led by “sacked local government vice chairmen,” and appeared to be a coordinated effort to disrupt the event and send a political message.
He accused Fubara’s supporters of hypocrisy, stating that while they claim to seek peace, their actions suggest otherwise.
“You can’t be pleading for peace and at the same time be sponsoring people to insult everyone, including the President and his wife,” Wike stated.
He called on Fubara to be sincere in his approach to governance and conflict resolution, adding, “Those who truly want peace must act like it.”
The former Rivers governor, currently on official duties in China, reiterated his commitment to peaceful and respectful political engagement.
He urged political stakeholders in the state to avoid dragging the state’s name into controversy, emphasizing the importance of unity and decorum.
Wike concluded by reaffirming his loyalty to the presidency and distancing his camp from the incident. “As for me and those aligned with my leadership, we condemn this act in totality and apologize to the First Lady for the embarrassment caused,” he said.
