International multimedia journalist and former BBC correspondent, Donu Kogbara, has described Governor Sim Fubara’s withdrawal from the political contest in Rivers State as “a complete surrender”.
Kogbara spoke during an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, where she discussed the political situation in Rivers State alongside public policy analyst and political communications strategist, Kenny Okolugbo.
“It was a complete surrender of a very weak man,” Kogbara said while reacting to Fubara’s decision.
She said the dispute between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reached a point where the governor either had to fully resist political pressure or give in.
“Either he was going to be able to completely dominate Fubara throughout his tenure as governor, or he was going to be able to remove him if Fubara refused to play along,” she said.
Kogbara said she supported Fubara during the political tensions in Rivers State because she believed he was being treated unfairly.
“I supported Fubara, thinking that we can’t allow this man to be completely disgraced,” she said.
She also criticised political godfatherism and said elected governors should not be forced into continuous concessions.
“I don’t think that a governor should be so trapped that he has to continuously concede to his godfather,” she said.
Kogbara further claimed many Rivers residents were unhappy with recent political developments in the state.
“They are absolutely furious,” she said.
During the discussion, Okolugbo said Fubara made political mistakes and ignored advice from people around him. He said the governor failed to properly manage relations with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“So I see Fubara as the architect of his own misfortune,” Okolugbo said.
He also said political leaders must understand the structures that brought them to power and handle disagreements carefully to avoid deeper divisions.
Ademide Adebayo
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