The All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified why Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has not yet been formally welcomed into the party, attributing the delay to strategic planning rather than any question of authority.
Speaking on TVC on Sunday, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party is managing regional sensitivities, particularly in northern states, before proceeding with formal receptions for new members.
“We have Kano we’re preparing for. When you’re dealing in politics, we opted to clear the north first because Ramadan is coming and most of the people in the north are Muslims,” Yilwatda explained. “We have a lot of communities in the north that are sensitive to the issue of Ramadan. So we pleaded that we clear the northern governors who have to come to the APC first before going to the south, where we don’t have Ramadan as an issue.”
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He emphasised that the delay does not reflect a lack of authority on the part of Fubara, who formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 9, 2025. “So these are strategies and also acknowledge the sensitivity of each community. That’s the reason we took that decision. It has nothing to do with Siminalayi Fubara not having authority,” he said.
The clarification comes amid speculation over Fubara’s ability to assert control as APC leader in Rivers State. Yilwatda dismissed claims suggesting internal challenges, demanding evidence of any formal complaint. “Is that what you’re told? I’m the national chairman. Who complained to you? What petition? I want you to give me one petition. Has he complained to you?” he said. “When somebody has not complained, and we’ve not seen a physical petition, the media should not create a petition. And they become the petitioners, the judge, and the jailer at the same time.”
The remarks follow a meeting at Aso Rock between President Bola Tinubu, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Governor Fubara, and other state leaders. Sources told The Nation that Fubara accompanied Wike to his home in Guzape, Abuja, after the meeting.
Fubara’s defection is part of a broader effort to consolidate political support ahead of the 2027 elections, following a fallout with Wike during the 2023 power struggle in Rivers State. Wike has publicly challenged the notion that Fubara’s defection automatically positions him as APC leader in the state, citing the continued influence of his supporters within local party structures.
This backdrop has intensified political tensions in Rivers, with rival factions of the APC and PDP engaging in negotiations, manoeuvres, and strategic realignments as they prepare for the next electoral cycle. Yilwatda, however, insisted that APC remains focused on a smooth integration process, underscoring that support groups operating under President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda are separate from official party structures.
“Support groups are separate from party activities. Is it under the office of the chairman of the party?” he noted, reinforcing the distinction between grassroots alliances and formal party authority.
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