Efforts allegedly spearheaded by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to derail the 2027 re-election ambitions of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, appear to be facing resistance, following growing support for the governor from several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
Sources within the APC disclosed on Monday that the renewed political friction between Wike and Fubara was ignited by the decision of influential APC governors to openly back Fubara’s second-term bid.
Party insiders revealed that the endorsement from the APC leadership has significantly boosted Fubara’s political standing within the party’s top hierarchy. Several governors and national party figures have reportedly commended the scale and quality of development projects executed across Rivers State under Fubara’s administration.
According to sources, this wave of support has further complicated Wike’s political calculations, weakening his ability to shape the APC’s direction in Rivers State and beyond.
Tensions reportedly escalated after Wike’s political allies moved to support Samuel Anyanwu, a former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the Imo State governorship, allegedly without consulting the sitting APC governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma.
Uzodimma, who also serves as Chairman of the APC Governors Forum, was said to have reacted angrily to the development.
Following that incident, several APC governors reportedly began rallying against what they viewed as Wike’s excessive political interference, particularly in opposition to Fubara’s re-election aspirations.
A senior APC official, speaking to Punch on Monday night, explained that the strategy was aimed at diminishing Wike’s influence in Rivers State and curtailing his broader political power. The official added that Wike’s standing within the Tinubu administration is said to be strained among some powerful figures, prompting APC governors to close ranks in support of Fubara. This alignment, the source said, is at the heart of the renewed political confrontation between the two men.
Another party source noted that the assurance of backing from APC governors has emboldened Fubara, making him more willing to challenge Wike’s long-standing dominance in Rivers politics.
Meanwhile, political tensions heightened on Monday as the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, and Wike exchanged sharp words over Rivers State politics and Wike’s insistence that he would not support Fubara’s second-term bid.
In a statement, Basiru urged the former Rivers governor to step down from his ministerial role and concentrate on what he described as an unhealthy fixation on Rivers State politics.
Basiru said he was unfazed by what he perceived as subtle threats from Wike, stressing that his political experience had prepared him to withstand intimidation.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Punch, Basiru openly declared his support for Fubara amid the escalating dispute.
Gossip News Now reports that Basiru also warned the APC South-South Chairman, Victor Giadom, against making disparaging comments about Fubara or any sitting governor. He emphasized that members of the party’s National Working Committee must remain neutral during internal political crises.
Giadom had earlier argued that Fubara could not secure political success in Rivers State without Wike’s backing.
While acknowledging Wike’s dominance in Gokana Local Government Area, his ancestral home, Giadom described the minister as a reliable political force whose influence in the area remains unchallenged.
According to Giadom, Wike’s authority in Gokana is crucial for any political breakthrough in the local government.
He stated that the Gokana people are firmly aligned with Wike and President Bola Tinubu, adding that no individual, including the governor, could win elections in the area without Wike’s approval. This position reportedly angered Basiru, who later criticized Giadom for diminishing Fubara’s political stature.
Basiru, speaking late last year at the commissioning of the newly completed Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters in Elimgbu, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, urged Rivers residents to support the APC, President Tinubu, and Governor Fubara ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also applauded Fubara’s governance record, citing effective leadership and quality project execution across the state.
However, during a thank-you visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area on Monday, Wike cautioned Basiru against interfering in Rivers State politics.
Wike warned that individuals who come into the state, allegedly attracted by its financial resources, should refrain from making reckless political statements. He urged Basiru to leave Rivers affairs alone and not take the state’s support for President Tinubu for granted.
The FCT minister further warned that Rivers State was not open to political interference, advising Basiru to desist from what he termed unnecessary commentary.
In response, Basiru issued a statement on Monday dismissing Wike’s remarks, asserting that the minister lacked the authority to interfere in the internal affairs of the APC since he is not a member of the party.
Basiru maintained that as the APC National Secretary, he holds constitutional authority to oversee party activities nationwide, including in Rivers State.
He emphasized that his responsibilities extend beyond Osun State and that Wike had no standing to question his actions or involvement in APC matters anywhere in Nigeria.
Basiru further rejected insinuations that he was interested in Rivers State’s funds, describing such claims as unfounded and contrary to his public service record.
He stressed that his career reflects integrity and principled leadership, adding that he has never shied away from confronting injustice, regardless of whose interests are affected.
Basiru concluded by stating that he could not be intimidated by anyone, regardless of status, and reaffirmed that his conduct as APC National Secretary remains transparent and accountable.
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