The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s clarification on the political standoff between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, describing it as a vindication of its long-held position.
The Presidency, through the President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Communication, Daniel Bwala, had on Thursday affirmed that Governor Fubara remains the leader of the APC in Rivers State and should be allowed to govern without undue interference. Bwala made this known while appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television.
While acknowledging Wike’s contribution to the Tinubu administration, Bwala stressed that the former Rivers governor is not a member of the APC and therefore cannot lay claim to party 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 conventions.
The party said the presidential clarification aligns with the national APC policy that recognizes elected governors as party leaders at the state level, describing it as a boost for cohesion, mobilization and efficiency within the party.
According to the statement, the reaffirmation firmly establishes Governor Fubara as the APC leader in Rivers State and should put an end to what it described as “false and misleading narratives” being circulated by political interests.
The Rivers APC also condemned comments credited to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, regarding the impeachment process against Governor Fubara and his deputy, saying such views contradict the core values of party membership. The chapter urged Morka to consider stepping down for failing, in its view, to protect the party’s organizational objectives.
Furthermore, the state chapter reminded the APC National Working Committee of existing court judgments concerning the Rivers APC leadership and called for the immediate scheduling of ward, local government and state congresses to resolve lingering leadership disputes.
The party concluded by urging Governor Fubara, in his capacity as party leader, to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to chart a clear direction for the APC in Rivers State going forward.
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