In a definitive move that reshapes the power struggle in Rivers State, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, has officially recognized Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the party in the state.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Hard Copy’ programme, Yilwatda clarified that the APC consistently grants sitting governors the status of party leader.
However, he noted that this position comes with the responsibility of maintaining unity among party members.
“Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State, but he would need to coordinate with every other person in the state,” Yilwatda said. “In all the states, we have the state governors lead the parties in their respective states. In APC, we give them that privilege, but we also ask the governors to ensure inclusion — to coordinate and carry everyone along.”
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Addressing the influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Yilwatda was blunt in stating that the APC does not recognize Wike in its internal affairs because he is still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“If we are discussing elections, we will not be discussing with Nyesom Wike. He is not a member of our party,” Yilwatda stated. “We will be discussing with Siminalayi Fubara because he is a member of the All Progressives Congress right now.”
When pushed on Wike’s perceived influence over Rivers APC, the Chairman dismissed the topic as a distraction:“I think we are overflogging what we don’t need to overflog. Wike is in PDP. Allow me to discuss members of my party, not people who are not members. I am chairman of the APC, not chairman of all political parties in Nigeria.”
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Despite recognizing Fubara’s leadership, Yilwatda warned that the Governor would not be given an automatic ticket for a second term.
He cited the precedent in Ekiti State to show that even incumbents must face internal democracy.
“We did primaries in Ekiti State and the governor contested with others before he emerged as the APC candidate. The same rule applies to every state — even Governor Fubara will have to go through the normal process if he seeks the ticket,” he noted.
This official declaration by the APC National Chairman directly counters recent comments by Nyesom Wike.
After Fubara declared himself the “001 of APC” in Rivers State, Wike had dismissed the title during a speech on Monday.
“There is nothing like ‘001’ in party politics,” Wike had said. “You register in your ward, and your local government is in your ward. Everybody registers in his ward. You could be the first to register, but it does not mean that by becoming governor, you automatically become leader of the party.”
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