The Nigerian presidency has moved to clarify the political hierarchy in the volatile Rivers State, declaring that Governor Siminalayi Fubara—and not his predecessor Nyesom Wike—is the official leader of the ruling party in the state.
Speaking on Channels Television, Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to President Bola Tinubu, stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a clear position: as the sitting governor, Mr. Fubara holds the reins of the party at the state level.
The clarification comes as a blow to the political influence of Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who has been locked in a bitter year-long feud with his former protégé.
‘Wike is not a member’
Despite Mr. Wike’s high-profile role in President Tinubu’s cabinet, the presidency was blunt about his standing within the ruling party.
“Wike is not a member of APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” Mr Bwala said. “He may be the leader of the PDP [People’s Democratic Party] in Rivers State because he was a former governor… but in APC, the leader is Governor Fubara.”
The statement aims to settle a long-standing identity crisis in Rivers State politics. Mr Wike, though a minister under an APC president, has officially remained a member of the opposition PDP, while Mr Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025.
Impeachment moves ‘unlawful’
The presidency also used the interview to address the ongoing attempts by the Rivers State House of Assembly to remove the governor from office.
Lawmakers loyal to Mr. Wike recently initiated impeachment proceedings against Mr. Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing “gross misconduct” and financial mismanagement. However, the presidency has now thrown its weight behind the governor.
“The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” Mr. Bwala added, referencing several court orders that have sought to halt the impeachment process.
Tinubu’s ‘Rule of Law’
By publicly backing Mr. Fubara, the presidency appears to be distancing itself from the local efforts to unseat him. Mr. Bwala suggested that while President Tinubu values “compensating” those who helped him to power, he would not support political moves that undermine the interest of Nigeria or the rule of law.
The endorsement of Mr. Fubara as the APC leader in Rivers State also carries significant weight for the future; the governor has already been endorsed by the party for a second term in 2027.
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