Odita Sunday 
HURIWA Slams Fubara’s Withdrawal From APC Primary, Calls It “Cowardice” And Surrender To Godfatherism
By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly condemned the withdrawal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as an act of political cowardice and a dangerous surrender to alleged godfatherism orchestrated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HURIWA, the rights group said Governor Fubara’s decision to step down in the interest of “peace and unity” could not conceal what it described as the growing atmosphere of political intimidation and suppression in Rivers State.
HURIWA argued that if Governor Fubara truly believed in the mandate given to him by the people of Rivers State, he should have subjected himself to the democratic process instead of withdrawing at the last minute and pledging support to what the group called a predetermined political arrangement allegedly controlled by forces loyal to Wike.
The association stated that the development had reinforced fears that both the APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in Rivers State were allegedly under the overwhelming influence of one political figure, warning that whoever eventually emerges from either platform could end up serving as a political surrogate rather than acting in the interest of Rivers people.
According to the group, the situation has left opposition parties in the state with only one viable option immediate coalition and unity ahead of the governorship election.
HURIWA therefore called on opposition political parties, civil society organisations, labour unions, youth groups, women groups, student movements, professionals, and other democratic stakeholders in Rivers State to collapse their structures into one formidable coalition capable of confronting what it described as the “Wike political machinery.”
The rights group maintained that fragmented opposition politics would only weaken resistance forces and strengthen entrenched political interests allegedly dominating the state.
“HURIWA believes that the time for fragmented opposition politics in Rivers State is over. Any opposition party that insists on contesting separately under the current circumstances would merely be helping to divide the resistance votes and indirectly strengthening the continued domination of Rivers State by entrenched political interests,” the statement said.
The association further alleged that the political battle in Rivers State had gone beyond APC and PDP rivalry, claiming it now represented a struggle against external political control and economic exploitation allegedly enabled by forces around Wike and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
HURIWA also referenced what it described as the unconstitutional removal of Governor Fubara and the controversial imposition of an illegal interim military administrator arrangement, alleging that the six-month period lacked accountability and transparency.
The group demanded a full account of public funds allegedly spent during the period, insisting that Rivers people deserved to know how billions of naira were expended, which contracts were awarded, and why no independent audit or legislative scrutiny had been carried out.
“It is deeply disturbing that while Rivers people continue to struggle economically, nobody has been held accountable for the huge public funds allegedly spent during the six months of unconstitutional governance imposed on the state,” the statement added.
HURIWA further described Governor Fubara as politically weakened and reduced to what it called a lame-duck governor unable to independently defend the democratic mandate entrusted to him by Rivers voters.
The association warned that history would not be kind to political actors who remained silent while Rivers State was allegedly transformed into a political estate controlled through intimidation, federal influence, and godfatherism.
It therefore urged opposition leaders and democratic stakeholders in the state to immediately commence negotiations towards producing a consensus governorship candidate, fixing 12 noon today as the moral deadline for coalition talks to begin.
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