The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has clarified the party’s leadership structure in Rivers State following comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who said his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, was not the party’s leader in the state.
Earlier, The Port City News (TCPN) reported that Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, had insisted that Fubara was not the APC leader in the state despite his defection to the ruling party.
Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC and pledged to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
During the presentation of his APC membership card, the governor declared himself the party’s number one member in Rivers State.
Addressing the controversy in a recent interview, Yilwatda confirmed that Fubara was indeed the leader of the APC in Rivers State.
He explained that the party’s constitution clearly provides that governors of APC-controlled states automatically serve as party leaders in their respective states without exception. “In all the states, the governors lead the party in their respective states,” Yilwatda said.
Also see: Gunmen Raid Rivers Hotel During Live TV Interview
He added that while governors were recognised as party leaders, they were expected to carry all stakeholders along and uphold the principle of inclusion.
“At the same time, we tell governors who have leaders at the national level to respect inclusion,” he stated.
Yilwatda further disclosed that if Fubara emerged as the party’s candidate after winning the APC primary election, the party would work diligently for his re-election.
He noted that accredited party delegates would determine the APC flag bearer ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The APC chairman also downplayed Wike’s perceived influence in the party’s affairs in Rivers State, stressing that the minister was not a member of the APC.
