APC chairman backs Fubara as Rivers party leader, pledges support for second term

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has formally recognised Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the party in Rivers State, putting the party’s national leadership squarely behind the governor amid intensifying political tensions in the state.

Yilwatda also signalled his willingness to support Fubara’s second-term ambition, provided the governor secures the APC’s ticket through a transparent primary election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, monitored by our correspondent, the APC chairman said Fubara’s leadership of the party in Rivers was no longer in doubt, though he stressed the need for inclusiveness.

“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.

The declaration comes against the backdrop of a deepening power struggle between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over control of Rivers State’s political structure.

In December, following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, Fubara publicly proclaimed himself the party’s leader in the state after being issued a membership card bearing the number 001.

However, Wike swiftly rejected the claim, insisting that he remains the dominant political force in Rivers, citing an alleged alliance between the APC and PDP in the state to back President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Addressing the controversy, Yilwatda maintained that the APC’s internal democratic processes would ultimately determine its candidate for the governorship election.

“I don’t choose who to support in the state’s primary election. If Fubara emerges as the APC candidate, I’ll support him,” he said.

“If he loses the primary, I’ll sympathise with him and go with the person who wins the primary election.”