The Rivers State Office of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) has denied claims that suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara was behind a protest that disrupted a women’s empowerment programme organised by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in Port Harcourt on Friday.
The incident occurred on Friday during the RHI/Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Women Empowerment Programme, organised by the Office of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and held at the EUI Event Centre, GRA, Port Harcourt.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the Rivers State Coordinator of RHI, Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide, the office expressed deep disappointment over what it described as “an unjust attempt to drag Governor Fubara’s name into an unfortunate narrative.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Office of the Renewed Hope Initiative has been drawn to a regrettable and misleading statement issued by the Media Office of the FCT Minister, which unjustly attempts to drag the name of the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, into an unfortunate narrative.
“The protest was spontaneous and bore no connection to the governor or his administration. To insinuate that Governor Fubara would sabotage a programme he actively supported and funded is not only illogical but patently false,” the statement read.
The Renewed Hope Initiative statement comes hours after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, through his media office, condemned the walkout at the First Lady’s event as “disturbing and embarrassing”, accusing Fubara’s supporters of orchestrating it.
But the Rivers RHI coordinator clarified that Governor Fubara, who is currently on vacation, had fully supported the planning and hosting of the event — logistically and otherwise — as part of his commitment to the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Briggs-Oniyide noted that the programme was progressing smoothly with a large turnout and enthusiastic participation from women across the state, until a disruption occurred during a speech by Mrs Theresa Ibas, wife of the Rivers State Administrator.
According to her, some women in attendance voiced their dissatisfaction, stating they did not recognise Mrs Ibas as their First Lady and expressing their preference for Governor Fubara’s wife, Valerie.
The RHI Rivers office further criticised the comments made by Mr Lere Olayinka, media aide to the FCT Minister, as “deeply misleading” and an attempt to politicise a non-partisan empowerment programme.
“The real mischief lies with external political actors who, rather than acknowledge the suspended Governor’s commitment to women-centred development, have chosen to distort the facts for political gain,” Briggs-Oniyide said.
She emphasised that Rivers women remain united and dignified, often putting aside political affiliations in support of initiatives that promote their collective wellbeing.
