Rufai Oseni says Fubara has been “whipped back in line”, arguing that Rivers State’s political reconciliation serves elite interests

Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been “whipped back in line”, arguing that the state’s prolonged political crisis is driven by the interests of political elites rather than the welfare of residents.

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Oseni made the remarks on Wednesday during Arise Television’s Morning Show, following recent political developments in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general election.

His comments came after Fubara presented the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag to Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, an ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, during the unveiling of the Rainbow Coalition’s candidates in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Chinda was identified in the report as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

Fubara also reportedly acknowledged Wike as the political leader in the state and urged those who had described him as their leader during the political crisis to stop doing so.

Reacting to the developments, Oseni suggested that Fubara, who had been involved in a struggle over political influence in Rivers State, had been pressured into accepting the existing power arrangement.

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

The broadcaster questioned whether the reconciliation efforts being celebrated would improve the lives of ordinary residents, arguing that the process appeared more focused on political power and access to resources.

He maintained that the people of Rivers State stood to lose if their concerns were sidelined in negotiations among political leaders.

The remarks add to the debate over the relationship between Fubara and Wike, whose political differences have been central to the crisis in Rivers State.

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The implications of the latest developments for the state’s political alignment ahead of the 2027 elections remain a key issue.