Full statement titled, “Overburdened Response of Wike to Women Walkout, Not on Nigeria’s First Lady, but on Mrs. Ibas”, jointly signed by Nimi Fiberisima, Jennifer Boms Wolugbom, and Tambari Menete, President, Secretary and Director of Publicity respectively.
We read the reactions on Rivers women walkout yesterday on Mrs. Theresa Ibas, wife of the Rivers State Sole Administrator by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his attempt to spin the narrative to suit his purpose.
By the content of the response signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lanre Olayinka, Chief Nyesom Wike wants Rivers women to be beaten and coerced at the same time not to cry. It is like killing one’s goat and showing him the stick with which you used to kill the goat.
We would have ignored the statement as usual, but for the fact that each time, Chief Nyesom Wike wants to use every reaction of Rivers people against injustice, high handedness and inequities against them to blackmail an elected governor of the people before President Bola Tinubu, is what is most baffling and inglorious.
This unfortunate situation only calls for divine intervention. As it is, using the peaceful disposition of Rivers people to hunt them has become the article in trade in recent times and it will be unfair and counter productive to continue on this path of blackmail. Need we remind Chief Nyesom Wike that the rain does not fall on the roof of one man alone. What affects the eyes also affect the nose
It has become more surprising that Chief Nyesom Wike has devoted more time to activities in Rivers State beyond his primary place of assignment in Abuja where he is superintending over as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. If we may ask, is that how other Ministers are operating in their home states?
We are miffed by this constant unnecessary heating up Rivers polity. It is trite to inform the public that Gov. Siminalayi Fubara is not by any means involved or directed any of the Rivers Women to act on his behalf as to what transpired in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 2, 2025. The women are just organic supporters who do not want to be taken for a ride. Much as Governor Siminalayi Fubara is toeing the path of peace and embarking on reconciliation process, does not translate to enslavement and/or insulting the sensibility of Rivers people as being manipulated.
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. What people failed to understand is that political position is transient and in no time this phase of history will pass and all the actors will also fizzle out, some on the good side and some others on the bad side.
Particular note should be taken that a similar event in Delta saw Nursing School students express their discontent in the presence of the First Lady and no one shouted blue murder against the governor or linked the action to the Governor even though the students were mobilised by the state. Why are things always different in Rivers State just because Wike is a Minister?
The truth remains that Rivers Women hold the Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu in high esteem and couldn’t have walked out on her. The disconnect is that women were misinformed that the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu will be represented by the wife of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Abbas Tajudeen, on the strength of which they happily mobilised and excitedly prepared to receive her. Unfortunately, as they gathered in expectation, they were shocked to see Mrs. Theresa Ibas which in itself was improper.
It is therefore unfounded and preposterous for Chief Nyesom Wike to suddenly conclude as always to say the least that Rivers Women embarrassed the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and by extension Mr. President.
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, but the challenge is that often, Chief Nyesom Wike tends to be more Catholic than the Pope. 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. Let it be clear to all that “a tree does not make a forest”. Let’s heed the caution of the time, as time, indeed, will certainly tell.