The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has officially recognized Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers State.
The declaration comes amid escalating tensions between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over control of the state’s political structure.
Following his defection to the APC, Fubara had claimed the position of the party’s number one leader in Rivers State. However, Wike dismissed the governor’s claim, asserting that he controls the state’s political machinery, particularly as APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) collaborate to support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 ambitions.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, Yilwatda confirmed his backing of Fubara, stressing that support would follow the outcome of the party primaries.
“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.
“I don’t choose who to support in the state’s primary election. If Fubara emerges as the APC candidate, I’ll support him. If he loses the primary, I’ll sympathise with him and go with the person who wins the primary election,” he added.