The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), on Friday, lamented that Rivers State is being turned into a political offering to President Bola Tinubu.

It also described the President as a major player in the protracted political battle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.

A statement by the National Secretary of CUPP, Peter Ameh, said “Two prominent figures, tormented by the shadow of irrelevance and consumed by the need for powerful patronage, have traded the mantle of responsible leadership for grand gestures of submission, willingly torching the collective destiny of millions in a shameful rivalry over who can bow lowest before the throne of Tinubu’s authority.

In this orchestrated tragedy, the genuine sufferers remain the ordinary citizens of Rivers State, whose peace, prosperity, and democratic rights are being coldly exchanged for the fleeting security and to secure the personal survival of their leaders and preservation of individual relevance.”

The opposition coalition noted that the lingering crisis, which has seen multiple interventions including a state of emergency and peace accords brokered by the Presidency, has ultimately consolidated federal control over Rivers State politics.

“President Tinubu is the winner in the battle between Wike and Fubara. Both will be asking, ‘How high?’ whenever Tinubu tells them to jump,” Chief Ameh stated.

He emphasized that while the two principal actors may appear to be in contention, the resolution of the impasse has placed both leaders firmly under the influence of the Presidency, effectively ending any semblance of independent political manoeuvring in the oil-rich state.

However, Chief Ameh lamented that the real losers in this power struggle are the good people of Rivers State.

“Your state has been permanently under siege,” he declared, pointing to the disruption of governance, erosion of democratic institutions, and the diversion of resources and attention from critical development needs to endless political intrigues.

CUPP called on the people of Rivers State to remain vigilant and demand responsible leadership from their leaders, urging a return to issue-based politics that focuses on the welfare of citizens over personal ambitions.

The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to defending democracy and the rule of law across Nigeria, warning that unchecked federal overreach in state matters sets a dangerous precedent for the nation’s federalism. (Daily Independent)