Hundreds of women in Rivers State staged a walkout on Friday at the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme organized by First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu, after her no-show and the exclusion of Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara, wife of the Rivers State Governor, ignited backlash.
The event was set to empower 500 women in the state, but protests broke out when Mrs. Theresa Ibas, wife of the state’s controversial Sole Administrator, was introduced to speak on behalf of the First Lady.
The crowd erupted in chants:
“We want Valerie Sim-Fubara or Remi Tinubu to address us, not the wife of an imposter! We want Sim!”
Eyewitnesses said the women were visibly upset, claiming they had been told Senator Remi Tinubu would be in attendance. The decision to sideline Lady Valerie Fubara in favor of Mrs. Ibas—seen as aligned with federal interference in state politics—sparked outrage.
“We were told the First Lady of Nigeria would be here. If not her, then the wife of our Governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara, should speak to us. Not someone representing someone who doesn’t represent us,” one protester said.
Despite organisers’ attempts to calm the crowd, the women exited the venue en masse in what many called a public rejection of the federal political structure in Rivers and an open show of loyalty to suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
One protester, Ekpeye Favour, described the protest as a clear message:
“It’s a demonstration of our love for the Governor and a rejection of any plans to declare a state of emergency in our state.”
Observers say the incident highlights the deepening tension between federal authorities and local loyalty in Rivers, especially amid controversies surrounding the legitimacy of recent political appointments.
As of press time, Senator Remi Tinubu’s office had yet to issue a statement on the incident.
