WATCH THE VIDEO HERE The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reacted to the walkout on the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, by some women in Rivers State on Thursday. He described the incident as “very disturbing and embarrassing” and sent a strong message to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his supporters. The walkout took place during the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme at the EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt. The programme was organized by the office of the First Lady and aimed at supporting 500 women in the state with empowerment items. The women who staged the walkout were reportedly loyal to the suspended governor, Fubara. Wike, who is currently on official duty in China, released a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka. In the statement, he apologized to the First Lady and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on behalf of the people of Rivers State. “Insult on anyone representing the First Lady of Nigeria in an event is a direct insult on the office of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and as a leader in Rivers State, I apologize,” he said. Wike criticized Fubara and his loyalists for disrespecting the President and his wife, despite seeking peace. The Minister urged Fubara to be honest and bold enough to clearly state his demands to President Tinubu, instead of making one statement today and acting differently the next day. He said, “It is not enough to be visiting people to plead for peace, those who genuinely want peace work and act for it. “How can you say you want peace and at the same time, you are sponsoring people to insult everyone, including the President and his wife? “All those shenanigans won’t bring peace, and I am sure they know that, because they are not sincere with their up and down pleadings for peace.” Wike also made it clear that he and his supporters were not involved in the incident. “As for me and those who subscribe to my leadership, we condemn in totality that yesterday’s show of shame and we apologize to our First Lady for the embarrassing conduct of those few women who do not represent the characters and ideals of the people of Rivers State.”
These are the same people pleading for peace, but at the same time doing things that are contrary to what they are pleading for.