The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, has downplayed expectations ahead of the return of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, declaring that the embattled governor would be resuming office “a conquered man.”
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja on Tuesday, Ameh, who is also a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), said the governor had succumbed to federal pressure.
Ameh said, “The governor, unfortunately, has surrendered to federal might. He can now concentrate on his daily chores of paying contractors, workers’ salaries and signing checks.”
The CUPP scribe described the situation in Rivers State as a setback for Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that federal institutions were deployed to suppress the will of the people.
“It is a sad commentary on what democracy should be. He is now surrounded by persons within and outside his cabinet whose allegiance is only to Wike and the Abuja cabal. What has happened is that democracy has been given a bloody nose,” he stated.
Ameh also condemned the conduct of local government elections held under the state’s emergency administration, describing them as illegitimate.
“All institutions of the federal government were deployed to cow the people of Rivers State into submission. How else can anyone explain the illegality perpetuated in the name of local government elections under the watch of the military ruler of that state within the period?” he queried.
He warned that unless Rivers’ people demand accountability and insist on credible elections, the cycle of impunity would continue.
“Unless the people rise and insist that the right things are done and that their votes in upcoming elections truly count, I’m afraid nothing will change,” Ameh added.