President Bola Tinubu has officially endorsed Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the All Progressives Congress in the state, directly intervening in a heated political dispute.
The declaration was made by the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, during a national television interview on Wednesday.
The statement serves as a decisive clarification amidst mounting tensions in Rivers State, where Governor Fubara faces impeachment proceedings in the state House of Assembly and a protracted political feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Bwala stated that President Tinubu fully supports the position recently articulated by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, which holds that sitting governors are the automatic leaders of the party in their respective states.“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC,” Bwala said. “Wike is not a member of the APC, so he cannot speak for the party.”
He acknowledged Wike’s status as a leader in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party but stressed that APC leadership in Rivers “rests solely with Fubara.”
The presidential aide framed Tinubu’s position as a matter of principle and institutional order. “What the national chairman said is the position the president sticks to, because he respects party procedures,” Bwala explained. “The president believes in the rule of law and due process, and the party will always respect that.”
When questioned about Wike’s significant influence within the federal cabinet, Bwala issued a pointed reminder. “We’ve heard people complain that as a cabinet member, Wike enjoys certain benefits. Wike has been adequately compensated,” he said. “The president believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu gives latitude, but once you cross the line, you will know.”This public endorsement from the presidency is seen as a major boost for Governor Fubara’s political standing and a clear attempt to define the party’s hierarchy.
It signals that despite Wike’s instrumental role in the last election and his current ministerial post, his authority does not extend to the structure of the APC in Rivers State.
