The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the lingering political dispute involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing the Presidency’s position as a clear vindication of the party’s long-standing stance.
The Presidency, through the President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Communication, Mr Daniel Bwala, on Thursday affirmed that Governor Fubara remains the recognised leader of the APC in Rivers State and must be allowed to carry out his constitutional duties without undue interference. Mr Bwala made the clarification during an appearance on a television programme, where he also acknowledged Mr Wike’s contribution to the Tinubu administration, while stressing that the former Rivers governor is not a member of the APC.
Reacting, the Rivers APC said the presidential clarification was in strict alignment with the party’s constitution and conventions, which recognise sitting APC governors as leaders of the party in their respective states. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Darlington Nwauju, the party expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for what it described as principled and rule-based party management.
According to the party, the President’s position reinforced its consistent argument that Governor Fubara should lead party affairs in Rivers State in order to promote cohesion, effective mobilisation and organisational efficiency. It added that the clarification should correct what it termed false and misleading narratives being pushed by political actors exploiting the crisis for narrow interests.
The Rivers APC also faulted comments attributed to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, particularly on the impeachment debate involving Governor Fubara and his deputy, insisting that such opinions ran contrary to the spirit and objectives of the party.
Looking beyond the immediate controversy, the party urged the National Working Committee to address unresolved leadership issues within the Rivers APC, citing subsisting court judgments. It called for the immediate conduct of ward, local government and state congresses to harmonise contending interests.
In a forward-looking appeal, the party called on Governor Fubara, as leader of the APC in the state, to convene a broad stakeholders’ meeting to provide strategic direction, stabilise the party structure and reposition it for effective governance and future electoral contests in Rivers State.
