The ruling All Progressives Congress has dismissed claims that Siminalayi Fubara was forced out of its governorship primary race in Rivers State, insisting that the governor voluntarily withdrew after successfully completing the party’s screening process.
Speaking on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said Fubara purchased the party’s nomination forms, appeared before the screening committee, and was cleared to contest before eventually deciding to step aside ahead of the primaries.
According to Yilwatda, the governor’s withdrawal was entirely a personal decision and not the result of political pressure or disqualification by the party.
“He pulled out; he stepped down. It is personal to him. He bought the forms, came for screening, passed the screening, and we were waiting for the primaries before he opted to step down,” the APC chairman stated.
Yilwatda also rejected suggestions that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, influenced the process or played any role in Fubara’s withdrawal from the race.
Responding to questions on Wike’s alleged involvement in the Rivers APC primary, the APC chairman stressed that the former Rivers governor is not a member of the ruling party.
“Wike is not in our party. He is in PDP,” he said.
Fubara had earlier announced his decision to withdraw from the APC governorship primary, describing the move as a sacrifice made in the interest of peace, stability, and unity in Rivers State ahead of next year’s election.
“Let it be clearly understood that I stepped aside from participating in the upcoming Rivers State governorship election not out of weakness, fear, or surrender, but out of conviction and sacrifice so that Rivers State may move forward in peace and unity,” Fubara said, while reaffirming his commitment to serving the people of the state until the end of his tenure.
Meanwhile, Wike on Monday publicly reacted to the political developments in Rivers State, mocking Fubara’s withdrawal from the race while openly backing House of Representatives member Kingsley Chinda as the APC governorship candidate.
Speaking with journalists during an inspection of infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike revealed details of what he described as a political understanding brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
According to the FCT minister, Fubara allegedly agreed to forgo a second-term ambition in exchange for the suspension of impeachment threats by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“By collecting the form first, he didn’t show signs of gentlemanship. We thought that Mr President had been intervening severally and pleading with the legislature not to continue with impeachment,” Wike said.
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