Fayose Questions Fubara’s ‘001’ Claim, Says Political Leadership Lies Beyond Office
Former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has stirred fresh debate over political leadership within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), questioning Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s claim to being the party’s “number one” member in the state.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Fayose argued that political leadership is not automatically conferred by holding executive office, drawing parallels with Lagos State to underscore his position.
Fayose contended that Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cannot be regarded as the political leader of the state, insisting that such authority rests with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and the APC’s most influential figure in the state.
“The president that I know hates ingratitude; he controls Lagos from the palms of his hands,” Fayose said, citing the recent impeachment and swift reinstatement of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker as evidence of Tinubu’s overriding influence.
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“The speaker was impeached, another person took over, and without saying a word, the president caused the system to restore that speaker. Will you tell me Sanwo-Olu is the leader in Lagos? Let him come out and say it,” Fayose added.
Fubara’s ‘001’ Declaration
Fayose’s remarks come amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State following Governor Fubara’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025. During the flag-off of the Rivers Airport Bypass Project on December 12, Fubara publicly declared himself “001” in the APC, describing himself as the party’s number one member in the state.
“Today, I am not just a member of the APC; I am the number one,” Fubara said at the event. “We are going to do everything to make the 2027 election for Mr President a smooth ride in Rivers State.”
His defection followed the movement of 15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, from the PDP to the APC.
However, Fubara’s leadership claim was quickly dismissed by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Wike argued that APC membership registration is conducted strictly at ward and local government levels, insisting there is no statewide “001” designation.
“There’s nothing like 001 in the state,” Wike said. “You register in your ward. If you are 001, it is only in your ward. Leadership is not because you’re a governor or a minister; you must have something that makes you a leader.”
Emergency Rule and Impeachment Threat
Fayose also weighed in on the political crisis in Rivers State, describing the earlier declaration of a state of emergency in March 2025 as a political lifeline for Governor Fubara.
“The emergency rule was all-winning for Governor Fubara,” Fayose said. “By now he would have been history because once you’re impeached, you are out of the way and can’t contest.”
He added that Fubara needed to learn from political setbacks, noting that President Tinubu had politically outmaneuvered him.
Tensions escalated further on January 8, when the Rivers State House of Assembly formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, accusing them of gross misconduct. The session, chaired by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, reflected renewed hostility in the long-running feud between Fubara and Wike.
Despite recent defections, the majority of Rivers lawmakers are believed to remain aligned with Wike, and the political standoff has shown little sign of abating.
As party realignments continue and impeachment proceedings loom, the question of who truly wields political authority in Rivers State — and within the APC — remains at the center of Nigeria’s evolving political drama.
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