Wike Admits: Fubara Will Bury Me Politically if He Wins Re-election; as Yilwatda Affirms Governor as APC Leader in Rivers

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has categorically declared Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the authentic leader of the party in Rivers State.

Yilwatda, who made the declaration during a television interview over the weekend, also pledged to support Fubara’s second-term bid if he wins the party’s primaries.

The APC chairman’s confirmation came as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, declared that he would be buried politically if Fubara returns to Government House during next year’s general elections.

To strengthen his base, Wike has mounted an aggressive campaign in Rivers State where he has been throwing jabs at the governor. But Fubara has been somewhat measured in his response.

To buttress his point, the APC national chairman that his declaration of Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers stemmed from the party’s practices to recognise serving governors as party leaders in their respective jurisdictions.

But he minced no word in stating that the Governor must work with other stakeholders to ensure inclusion and effective coordination within the party.

This development came hot on the heels of renewed political hostility between Governor Fubara and the controversial Minister of the Federal Capital Territory over who controls the party in the state.

Though Nyesom Wike has been expelled by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, he still clings to a faction of the party that he reportedly vowed to hold for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. And he has been doing everything to destroy the party, a situation that has pitched him against Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, among other stakeholders.

Recall that Fubara had, last December, defected to the APC, and declared himself the party’s leader in the state after being presented with the party card number 001. But Wike rubbished the notion that the tag number 001 has state-wide application, insisting that it only applies to his ward.

“There is nothing like ‘001’ in party politics,” Wike 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 the leader of the party.”

Prof. Yilwatda, however, put the matter beyond all reasonable doubts during the interview when he confirmed Fubara as the undisputable leader of the party in Rivers State.

“Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State,” Yilwatda said firmly, “but he would need to coordinate with every other person in the state.

“In all states, 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.”

On whether the party would support Fubara if he wants to run for a second term in office, the APC national chairman answered in the affirmative, drew parallels with similar instances in other states, citing the example of Ekiti State where the sitting governor had to go through the party’s primary process like any other aspirant before emerging as the flagbearer.

“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 said.

Yilwatda put the matter beyond doubts when he affirmed that discussions concerning the party’s affairs in Rivers State will be held with Governor Fubara and not Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“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.”

The APC national leader then dismissed the notion that Wike influences APC politics in Rivers State, insisting that his focus remains on APC members, not individuals outside the fold.

“I think we are overflogging what we don’t need to overflog,” he said.

“Wike is in the PDP. Allow me to discuss members of my party, not non-members. I am chairman of the APC, not chairman of all political parties in Nigeria.”

However, Wike is not downplaying the significance and impact of a possible second term for Governor Fubara on his political future in Rivers State. He didn’t mince words when he admitted that his political career will suffer irreparable damage if Governor Fubara wins re-election.

Addressing stakeholders at a meeting in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday, Wike, however, assured his supporters that a “firm decision” had already been taken regarding the 2027 general elections.

“We have made a decision as far as Tinubu is concerned,” he told the stakeholders. “The other one, no way. Because if we make another mistake, then we will go and bury ourselves politically. I will not allow myself to be buried. I will not allow that mistake again,” adding: “So everybody should know we have made a decision.”