Abuja
Why Rivers Women Walk Out Of Remi Tinubu’s Empowerment Programme
Why Rivers Women Walk Out Of Remi Tinubu’s Empowerment Programme
Why Rivers women walk out of Remi Tinubu’s empowerment programme, protest presence of Iba’s wife. On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers.
Scores of women on Friday walked out of an empowerment programme facilitated by President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Remi, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The angry women were protesting the presence of Theresa Ibas, wife of the sole administrator of the state, at the venue of the programme held at the EUI Event Centre, GRA, Port Harcourt.
They were dressed in a wrapper and clad in a white vest with a scarf bearing the name of the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
Trouble started when the wife of the state’s sole administrator, Mrs Ibas, was invited to address the women and give her speech.
In a video by Channels TV, the women stood up in protest — chanting, “Bring Back Fubara, we don’t know Ibas.”
They were also demanding that the wife of the suspended Rivers governor, Valerie Fubara, should address them instead of the wife of the administrator of the state, Mrs Ibas.
“We want SIM!” and “We want Valerie Fubara!”one of the women shouted in the video footage.
Addressing journalists after disrupting the programme, one of the protesting women said they were mobilised for an empowerment programme to benefit 500 women in the state.
She added that the organisers also told them they would use the opportunity to meet with Mrs Tinubu.
“We were told the First Lady of Nigeria would be here,” she said.
According to her, “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. We don’t know Ibas. Tinubu is our president, and our governor is Sim Fubara.”
Rivers Women Walk Out Of Remi Tinubu
It was learnt that all efforts by the organisers to pacify the protesting women and calm their nerves proved abortive, as many of them angrily left the programme.
Busola Kukoyi, the spokeswoman for Mrs Tinubu, could not be immediately reached for comments.
On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers amid the political crisis in the state between Mr Fubara and his predecessor, the current minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Mr Tinubu immediately appointed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a decision that did not go down well with many residents and groups in the state.
Critics of the president have also described the appointment of Mr Ibas as unconstitutional and a flagrant abuse of power by Mr Tinubu.
Obi, Amaechi, Others Meet In Abuja, Discuss Nigeria’s Democratic Future
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, on Saturday hosted Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and other opposition leaders at his Abuja residence.
Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, Achike Udenwa, former governor of Anambra; and Victor Oganku were also at the meeting.
TheCable understands that discussions by the politicians centred on strengthening the opposition front and Nigeria’s democratic future.
Amaechi, Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and are eyeing the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary and came second behind President Bola Tinubu, who won the party’s ticket.
In March, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the party was working to adopt a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.
Abdullahi said the party had the options of direct primaries and consensus for electing its presidential candidate, adding that indirect primaries were “no longer on the table”, as stipulated in the amended Electoral Act.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Amaechi said he has positioned himself as a viable contender for the next presidential race on the ADC platform.
Amaechi rejected the call for a consensus arrangement within the ADC ahead of the 2027 poll, insisting that aspirants must be allowed to test their popularity at the ballot.
Peter Obi
He said Nigerians are yearning for competent leadership to address economic hardship and insecurity.
The former governor of Rivers, however, said he would support Abubakar if the former vice-president emerges as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2027 presidential poll.
FG Warns Against Illegal Use Of Ambassador Title, Fake Diplomatic Identities
President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has warned against the rising abuse of diplomatic titles in Nigeria, particularly the illegal use of the designation “Ambassador” by unauthorised individuals and groups.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in Abuja.
“Some of the persons conferred illegally with the Ambassadorial titles unfortunately parade themselves as such in official communications and even in engagements with foreign embassies in Nigeria which has caused serious embarrassment to the federal government.
“The Ministry warns that individuals parading themselves as “Ambassadors” based on such deceitful conferment are engaging in impersonation, which is a criminal offence and therefore strongly cautions all persons involved in such illegalities or parading themselves as Ambassadors to desist forthwith,” the statement said.
The government also raised alarm over the use of fake diplomatic passports, identity cards, vehicle number plates, and other materials bearing the insignia of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by impostors.
Tinubu
According to the statement, some of those involved in the practice go as far as parading themselves as ambassadors in official correspondence and in dealings with foreign missions in Nigeria, a development it said has embarrassed the country.
It, however, stressed that only the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has the constitutional authority to appoint and accredit ambassadors for Nigeria, adding that no individual, group, or organisation has the power to confer diplomatic titles.
NPF Debunks False Terror Alert In FCT, Arrests Suspect For Incitement
False terror alert in FCT,. The Nigeria Police Force wishes to categorically debunk a viral video circulating on social media alleging an ongoing terrorist attack in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The Force states unequivocally that no such incident occurred, and the claims contained in the video are entirely false, misleading, and malicious.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the video was deliberately curated using misleading footage sourced from online platforms to construct a false narrative aimed at causing panic, inciting public fear, and undermining public confidence in the security architecture of the nation’s capital.
In furtherance of its commitment to maintaining public order, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested one Pam Joseph in connection with the creation and dissemination of the false content. The arrest followed credible intelligence and digital forensic investigations linking the suspect to the origin and circulation of the video.
The Force reiterates that while citizens have the right to freedom of expression, such rights do not extend to the deliberate spread of misinformation capable of threatening public peace and national security. Members of the public are therefore advised to verify information before sharing and to refrain from engaging in activities that may incite fear or disorder.
Police
The suspect is currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to safeguarding public order and national security, and will continue to monitor digital spaces and take decisive action against individuals who engage in the dissemination of false or misleading information.
DCP ANTHONY OKON PLACID psc(+) mni
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
10th April, 2026
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