Hundreds of women, on Friday, staged a walk-out on Mrs. Theresa Ibas, wife of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), as she mounted the rostrum to speak during an empowerment programme organised by the Renewed Hope Initiative (TRHI) in Port Harcourt, the State capital. 

RHI is the brainchild of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, aimed at empowering women in the country, especially the less-privilleged.

LEADERSHIP learnt that Mrs. Ibas was at the programme, which held at a private facility in Port Harcourt, to represent the First Lady Tinubu and address the women on her behalf at the event, which was billed to feature the presentation of empowerment items to 500 women in the State.

It was further learnt that as the sole administrator’s wife mounted the rostrum and started speaking, chants erupted from the audience: “Give Us Our Governor”, “We Want Sim”, and “We Want Our Governor” rented the air.

Despite efforts by the organisers to calm the situation, the crowd of women insisted on their demands and eventually exited the venue en masse, effectively grounding the event.

LEADERSHIP, however, learnt that proposed beneficiaries of the empowerment scheme, which brought the women to the venue together, stayed behind.

Reacting to the ugly development, wife of the sole administrator, Mrs. Ibas, underscored the critical role of peace in achieving lasting development, noting that her husband’s appointment as sole administrator of Rivers State was aimed at restoring stability.

She urged residents to support efforts to maintain law and order, ensuring the State returns to its “cherished path of glory.”