The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed the Presidency’s position on the lingering political rift between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing it as a clear vindication of its long-held stance.
The Presidency on Thursday reaffirmed that Governor Fubara remains the leader of the APC in Rivers State.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy and Communication, Daniel Bwala, stated this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stressing that the governor must be allowed to carry out his constitutional duties without undue interference.
Bwala acknowledged Wike’s importance to the Tinubu administration, describing him as instrumental to the government, but clarified that the FCT minister is not a member of the APC and should not obstruct Fubara’s leadership in the state.
Reacting in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, the Rivers APC expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for upholding the party’s constitution and reaffirming Fubara’s position through his aide.
“We are grateful to the President and Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, leader of the APC in Nigeria, for sticking to our party constitution by reaffirming the position of the Governor through his SA on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala,” the statement said.
The party said the clarification had once again vindicated its uncompromising position and aligned with the policy direction of the APC national leadership under Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and Senator Ajibola Basiru.
It commended the President for adhering to party management principles that allow APC governors to lead the party at the state level in order to promote mobilisation, cohesion and efficiency.
The Rivers APC said the reaffirmation should correct what it described as false and misleading narratives being spread by political actors.
The party also condemned comments earlier made by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on the impeachment process against Governor Fubara and his deputy, saying the views contradicted the core values of party membership.
It urged Morka to consider stepping down for failing, in its view, to protect the party’s organisational objectives.
The statement further reminded the National Working Committee of subsisting court judgments on the Rivers APC leadership, citing Suit No. PHC/3592/CS/2023 and Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024, and called for the immediate conduct of congresses at ward, local government and state levels to harmonise contending interests.
Finally, the party appealed to Governor Fubara, as leader of the party in the state, to urgently convene a stakeholders’ meeting to chart a clear direction for the party going forward.
Elijah Adeyemi
