The Coalition of United Political Parties has strongly condemned Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s recent statement, where he expressed reluctance to return to office even if reinstated after being suspended by President Bola Tinubu. In a statement, National Secretary Chief Peter Ameh said Fubara’s comments undermine the collective struggle to defend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

Ameh stated that Fubara’s acquiescence is a betrayal of the millions who resisted Tinubu’s authoritarian overreach. “This struggle was never about you or your spirit. It was about defending the Constitution and the mandate of Rivers’ people who elected you in 2023,” Ameh declared.

The CUPP official expressed disappointment that Fubara’s statement trivializes the fight for constitutional democracy, which was not about absolving Fubara’s errors but about restoring constitutional order. Ameh called on Fubara to retract his statement and reaffirm his commitment to democratic principles.

The suspension of Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly has been widely condemned as unconstitutional by various groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association and the Peoples Democratic Party. Seven PDP governors, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties have challenged Tinubu’s actions in the Supreme Court, labeling them a “blatant violation” and an attempt at “state capture”.

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has also condemned the removal of Fubara, calling it unconstitutional and a dangerous attack on democracy. Obi warned that such actions threaten Nigeria’s democracy, undermine the rule of law, and set a dangerous precedent for governance.

Ameh emphasized that the people of Rivers State and Nigeria deserve leaders who uphold the rule of law, not those who abandon the fight. “CUPP stands resolute in protecting Nigeria’s multi-party system and the rights of all citizens to democratic governance,” he said. The case challenging Fubara’s suspension is ongoing in court, with the next hearing scheduled for May 26, 2025.