The Coalition for Justice and Democracy (CJD) has accused the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, of orchestrating a marketing campaign of calumny in opposition to President Bola Tinubu as revenge for the declaration of emergency rule within the state.
In a strongly worded assertion on Wednesday and signed by its president, Comrade Raymond Aighona, the coalition alleged that Fubara was additionally behind the circulation of a doc on social media which falsely accused the Sole Administrator of Rivers, Ibok-Eket Ibas, of mismanaging half a trillion naira and inflating contracts underneath the guise of funding President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The group dismissed the allegations as “baseless blackmail”, insisting that the only administrator had acted strictly throughout the limits of the emergency powers granted him and underneath the fixed oversight of committees arrange by each chambers of the National Assembly to observe Rivers through the emergency rule.
“Siminalayi Fubara has chosen the path of bitterness and deceit. He has not forgiven President Tinubu for saving Rivers State from total political anarchy through the declaration of emergency rule. Now, in an act of reckless vengeance, he is sponsoring falsehoods, pushing forged documents, and trying to smear the reputation of the President and the sole administrator. These antics will not succeed,” Aighona declared.
The CJD stated it had carried out its personal checks and located no proof to assist the claims of economic recklessness being circulated on-line in opposition to Ibas.
“Every action of the Sole Administrator is monitored by oversight committees from both the Senate and the House of Representatives. His expenditures are scrutinised and subjected to due process. For anyone to claim that he single-handedly pulled out half a trillion naira from the coffers of Rivers State is not only laughable but deliberately mischievous,” the group added.
According to the CJD, the social media doc, which alleged that inflated contracts have been getting used to bankroll the President’s 2027 marketing campaign, bore “all the fingerprints of Fubara’s political desperation”.
“This is nothing but a forged narrative manufactured by those who lost relevance under the emergency rule. Fubara is the unseen hand behind these malicious reports. He hopes to poison the minds of Rivers people against President Tinubu and to discredit Ibas, whose steady leadership has restored calm and order to the state,” Aighona stated.
The group additional warned that such “propaganda politics” may inflame tensions and destabilise Rivers if not uncovered for what it really is.
“What Fubara is doing is reckless and dangerous. Rather than take responsibility for the failures of his short-lived administration, he is weaponising lies, sowing distrust, and dragging the President’s name into his personal vendetta. This is not only unfair to President Tinubu but also a betrayal of Rivers people who are finally enjoying stability after months of turmoil,” the assertion continued.
The CJD praised Ibas for what it described as “disciplined and transparent stewardship” since his appointment as Sole Administrator.
“Ibas has not gone beyond his authority. He has been meticulous in carrying out his duties and has kept faith with the mandate to stabilise Rivers State. He deserves commendation, not blackmail. Anyone suggesting otherwise is only doing the bidding of embittered politicians like Fubara,” Aighona stated.
The group referred to as on safety businesses to research the origin of the circulating doc and to show these behind the “malicious forgery”.
It additionally urged the Nigerian public to deal with such reviews with contempt, stressing that the claims have been designed to smear the President and destabilise Rivers.
“There is no half-trillion naira missing from Rivers’ coffers. There are no inflated contracts funding the President’s re-election. These are lies from the pit of desperation. The real story is that Fubara, who has been constitutionally sidelined under emergency rule, is fighting back with propaganda. He must be called out,” the CJD said.
The coalition reaffirmed its assist for the emergency measures in Rivers, insisting that the intervention had prevented whole collapse and restored a measure of peace and governance to the state.
“President Tinubu acted to save Rivers, not to exploit it. Ibas has executed that mandate with dignity. The blackmail campaign being funded by Fubara cannot erase these truths. Nigerians should see through his desperation and reject his propaganda,” Aighona suggested.
