The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has denounced the recent statement attributed to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that his “spirit has already left the Government House” and that he is reluctant to return to his seat, even if reinstated.
CUPP, in a statement by its National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, noted that the remarks undermine the collective struggle to defend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution on the alleged infraction committed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.
CUPP asserts that Fubara’s acquiescence is a betrayal of the millions who resisted Tinubu’s authoritarian overreach, as it was never about Fubara’s personal sentiments but about upholding constitutional democracy.
CUPP contended that Fubara’s statement suggests a lack of resolve to confront the tyranny of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, which the PDP accused of plotting to impose a one-party state.
It noted: “The fight was about restoring constitutional order, not absolving Fubara’s errors. By framing his suspension as personal liberation, Fubara misrepresents the struggle, risking further destabilization of Rivers State and emboldening the APC’s alleged state capture agenda.
“His earlier commitment to peace and constitutional order, expressed on March 19, 2025, is contradicted by this capitulation, alienating supporters and staining the collective effort to resist tyranny.
“Your reluctance to return, even if reinstated, disrespects the sacrifices of Nigerians who challenged Tinubu’s actions from the streets to the courts.
The NBA and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka have called the emergency unconstitutional and excessive, yet your stance risks legitimizing such overreach.
“You must recommit to your constitutional mandate and stand firm against authoritarianism.”
CUPP calls on Fubara to retract his statement and reaffirm his commitment to democratic principles. The people of Rivers State and Nigeria deserve leaders who uphold the rule of law, not those who abandon the fight.
CUPP thereby urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in defending democracy against alleged unconstitutional actions by the APC-led government.
