Rivers Women Stage Protest, Walk Out On Ibas’ Wife
Tensions flared in Rivers State on Thursday as a group of women stormed out of a women empowerment event held at the EUI Centre in Port Harcourt, refusing to be addressed by Theresa Ibas, wife of the state’s interim administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Retd.).
The gathering, which was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative, quickly descended into protest as the women began chanting and demanding that only Valerie Fubara, wife of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, should speak to them.
Footage posted on X by several handles captured the dramatic moment the women rose in unison and exited the hall, chanting “We want Sim” to express their disapproval of Theresa Ibas’ presence.
This walkout comes in the wake of the political crisis that led to Governor Fubara’s suspension in March by President Bola Tinubu, who also declared a state of emergency in the state.
As part of federal intervention, Tinubu installed Ibas as Sole Administrator, a move that sparked outrage among Fubara’s supporters, particularly among women groups who consider the appointment illegitimate.
As chants of “We want SIM” echoed outside the venue, the women’s frustration became even more vocal.
“Who is that impostor? Ibas’s wife is addressing Rivers’ women. Who is she? Come on, pack your load, Madam, we don’t want you,” one woman exclaimed.
Another protester added, “We need Mrs Oluremi Tinubu to come and address us, she is the one we have been waiting for. We don’t need a stranger. We want Sim right now. Sim should come today, not tomorrow.”
