Kogbara Defends Fubara Amid Political Tussle
International multimedia journalist and former BBC correspondent Donu Kogbara has described Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara as a “weak man” after his decision to step down from the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primaries.
Speaking on Arise News, Kogbara characterised Fubara’s withdrawal as “a complete surrender.” She said:
“It was a complete surrender of a very weak man,” Kogbara said while reacting to Fubara’s decision.
She noted that the standoff between Fubara and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike had reached a critical point where the governor either had to resist the political pressure entirely 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 added.
Kogbara said she threw her support behind Fubara because she believed he was being treated unfairly and did not want to see him disgraced.
“I supported Fubara, thinking that we can’t allow this man to be completely disgraced,” she said.
The journalist also criticised the practice of political godfatherism, arguing that elected governors should not be forced into continual concessions to their patrons.
“I don’t think that a governor should be so trapped that he has to continuously concede to his godfather,” she stated.
Kogbara added that many residents of Rivers State are unhappy with the recent political developments, describing them as “absolutely furious.”
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