National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ameh, has expressed deep disappointment over the decision of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to return to office following his suspension earlier this year.
Ameh, who appeared on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme on Monday, criticised the governor’s move, suggesting it reflects a surrender that compromises democratic ideals.
He argued that Fubara’s decision prioritises personal power over principled leadership.
“For me, I’m already disappointed in Fubara that he has shown, you know, that ehm, what he wants is to get back to office,” Ameh said during the interview. “I think he would have given it all up. It wouldn’t have been bad to fight for the future generation.”
He accused state authorities of deploying the instruments of government against the suspended governor and suggested that Fubara’s return signals a concession under pressure. “I think he was beaten to surrender, and that is not good for our democracy… our state instrumentality of the state was deployed against him, and he surrendered,” he added.
Ameh’s remarks follow reports that Fubara’s camp has started counting down to his anticipated return on September 18, 2025. Despite the enthusiasm among supporters, the CUPP official maintained that the decision undermines efforts to protect Nigeria’s fragile democratic institutions.
“Whether it’s a semi-democratic process, we must be able to nurture it to become a fully blown democratic system,” he said, adding that democracy must be strengthened so that “young generation and future generations will be able to go freely to the polls.”
Governor Fubara was suspended on March 18, 2025, by President Bola Tinubu, who declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in response to a protracted political crisis involving Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The president also suspended the deputy governor and state lawmakers, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator to restore political stability.
