HURIWA Condemns Fubara’s Withdrawal from APC Governorship Primary, Calls It “Cowardice”

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the reported withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, describing the move as an act of political cowardice and a surrender to alleged godfatherism in Rivers State.
In a press statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the group said Fubara’s decision, justified on grounds of “peace and unity,” raises deeper concerns about political intimidation and shrinking democratic space in the state.
HURIWA argued that if the governor was confident in his mandate, he should have remained in the contest rather than stepping down and aligning with what it described as a “predetermined political arrangement.”
The group further alleged that Rivers State politics is increasingly dominated by entrenched interests, warning that both the APC and PDP structures in the state risk becoming instruments of control rather than genuine democratic platforms.
It called on opposition parties, civil society groups, labour unions, youth and women organisations to form a united front ahead of the next elections, insisting that fragmented opposition would only strengthen dominant political forces in the state.
According to HURIWA, the current situation in Rivers reflects a broader struggle over political control and democratic accountability, urging stakeholders to prioritise coalition-building in order to present a single governorship candidate capable of challenging entrenched interests.
The group also reiterated concerns over what it described as the lack of accountability surrounding governance arrangements in the state during recent political crises, calling for transparency in public spending and independent scrutiny of state expenditures.
HURIWA warned that continued silence from political actors and institutions could weaken democratic governance in Rivers State and called for urgent action to “rescue” the state’s political system.
The statement urged immediate commencement of coalition talks among opposition stakeholders, setting a symbolic deadline for urgent political alignment.