Rivers Women Revolt: Walk Out on Sole Administrator’s Wife, Brand Her ‘Impostor’ and Demand Fubara’s First Lady

In a dramatic show of defiance and political loyalty, hundreds of women in Rivers State staged a mass walkout on Thursday during a women empowerment programme at the EUI Centre in Port Harcourt, rejecting the presence of Theresa Ibas, wife of the state’s controversial Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd).

The protest, which unfolded at an event organised under the Renewed Hope Initiative, was captured in viral videos shared on social media platform X by Port Harcourt Socials. As Theresa Ibas took the stage to address the gathering, the atmosphere quickly turned hostile. The women—visibly outraged—rose in unison and began chanting “We want Sim,” a direct reference to Valerie Fubara, wife of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The spontaneous uprising forced a premature halt to the event, as the women stormed out of the hall, calling Mrs. Ibas an “impostor” and insisting that only Valerie Fubara had the moral authority to speak to them.

“Who is that impostor? Ibas’s wife is addressing Rivers women? Who is she? Pack your load, Madam! We don’t want you!” one protester shouted.

Another furious woman added, “We need Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu to come and address us. She’s the one we’ve been waiting for. We don’t need a stranger. We want Sim right now—today, not tomorrow!”

This dramatic protest adds another layer of tension to the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. President Bola Tinubu had suspended Governor Fubara in March, citing instability in the state, and controversially declared a state of emergency. He installed Ibas, a retired naval officer and known ally of FCT Minister and former Governor Nyesom Wike, as the state’s interim head.

The move triggered widespread backlash from pro-Fubara supporters, especially grassroots women’s groups, who view Ibas’s appointment as an unconstitutional federal overreach and a slap in the face of Rivers’ democratic choice.

The chants of “We want Sim” echoed not only a desire for Valerie Fubara’s presence but a broader cry for legitimacy, justice, and the return of their elected leader.

As of press time, neither Mrs. Ibas nor any state official had issued a response to the protest.