Rivers women walk out on sole administrator’s wife, demand Fubara’s reinstatement

There was a mild drama on Friday when some women walked out on Theresa Ibas, wife of Rivers State Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas.

The women were seen in a video clip demanding the reinstatement of suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.

The incident happened during an Empowerment Programme organised by the Nigerian First Lady, Remi Tinubu, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The president’s wife was billed to attend the event where about 500 women were to receive various empowerment items.

The clip, which showed when the women walked out of the programme, has been trending on social media.

President Tinubu, on 18 March, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all the House of Assembly members for an initial six months.

He consequently appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state amidst opposition from various individuals and groups.

How it happened

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that an initial announcement had indicated that Mrs Tinubu would attend the event in person.

However, the drama started when Mrs Ibas, wife of the Rivers sole administrator, was introduced as a representative of Mrs Tinubu.

The women, in their numbers, flared up and demanded that Governor Fubara’s wife should represent the first lady instead and address them.

“We want Valerie Sim-Fubara or Remi Tinubu to address us, not the wife of Ibas! We want Sim!” one of the women was heard saying.

“Bring back Fubara,” the women chanted repeatedly.

Another unidentified woman argued that Mrs Ibas had no right to address the Rivers women after they were informed that Mrs Tinubu would do so.

“She (Mrs Ibas) is a stranger. She does not have the right to address us. Let Fubara’s wife, Lady Valerie Fubara or President Tinubu come and address Rivers’ women. We need our governor back,” she said.

Background

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, have been locked in a protracted fight over the control of the political structures in Rivers State, which initially split the state assembly into two factions.

The political crises finally resulted into the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola and suspension of all elected officials in the state.

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