By our correspondent
About five hundred women drawn across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State gathered as early as 8 am Thursday, May 2,2025 to receive empowerment packages promised by the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The event slated at EUI centre, Abacha road had a display of women of various trades. The women, according to our correspondent, assembled on the grounds that Mrs Tinubu would herself address and present the packages to the beneficiaries. But they were shocked to hear that Mrs Ibas was called to address them in place of the wife of the elected Governor of the state, Siminilayi Fubara.
Eyewitness said that as soon as Mrs Ibas mounted the rostrum to address them, the women staged a walk out chanting ” We Want Sim,” We Want Sim.
One of the women who spoke to our correspondent at the venue said “:We voted for Sim,Sim is our Governor . Why then should we come and listen to this military man’s wife. They told us Tinubu’s wife was coming that’s why we came out. What they are doing to this our state can they do it in any other state? We have seen real governance in the state under Sim. Let them bring Sim.”
” Rivers State has been peaceful since Sim was inaugurated governor. He has bridged the ethnic divide,solved the upland/ Riverine dichotomy that has been a major issue over the years. Tinubu please bring back our Governor, another woman who gave her name as Ateli said.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu under the excuse of protecting critical national assets imposed a State of Emergency in Rivers State on March 18 and suspended the elected Governor, his Deputy and the State House of Assembly for six months.
He appointed a retired Naval Chief,Ibok Ete Ibas as Administrator and empowered him with unfettered access to the resources of the state including the monthly allocation accruing from the Federation account. His terms of reference however excluded making laws and inflaming peace.
As though in a hurry to do the bidding of his sponsors,Ibas wasted no time in assuming office .He disbanded all political appointments including boards and commissions and replaced them with alleged loyals,relations and friends of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory which has attracted reactions and exacerbated political and legal tensions.
At the moment, the streets and major roads appear forlorn in concert with the sprouting displeasure of the imposition of emergency rule and protests by the women of the state.
