Rivers Crisis: Fubara has been forced back in line —Rufai Oseni

Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, has criticised the latest political developments in Rivers State, saying Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been forced back into line by powerful political interests at the expense of the people.

Oseni made the remarks on Wednesday during Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he argued that the prolonged political crisis in the state was driven largely by personal interests rather than the welfare of residents.

His comments followed Fubara’s appearance at the unveiling of the Rainbow Coalition’s candidates in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, where the governor reportedly presented the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag to Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 elections.

At the event, Fubara also acknowledged Wike as the political leader in Rivers State and urged those who had described him as their leader during the political crisis to stop doing so.

Reacting to the development, Oseni said the governor, who had previously been at the centre of a struggle over political control and independence, appeared to have yielded to pressure from influential political figures.

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“Fubara has been whipped back in line, and it is all about their interest and not the people of Rivers State,” he said.

The broadcaster questioned the benefits of the reconciliation efforts being celebrated by political stakeholders, arguing that the agreements appeared more focused on power-sharing and political interests than on addressing the challenges facing ordinary residents.

According to Oseni, the people of Rivers State risk becoming the biggest losers if political settlements are reached without meaningful consideration of their welfare.

The Rivers political crisis has been marked by a prolonged power struggle involving Fubara and Wike, his predecessor, who remains an influential figure in the state’s politics.

The latest developments have renewed questions about Fubara’s political independence, the balance of power within the APC in Rivers State and the extent to which the reconciliation will translate into improved governance for residents.

Oseni’s comments reflect his assessment of the unfolding political situation, while the implications of the latest alignment for the 2027 elections remain to be seen.