President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has affirmed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, distancing former governor Nyesom Wike from the ruling party.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy on Thursday, Bwala addressed the ongoing political crisis in Rivers, where the State House of Assembly has launched impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara.
Bwala reiterated the position of the APC’s national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, that Fubara, not Wike, holds the reins of the party in the state.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC. Wike is not a member of the APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” he said.
He added that while Wike may retain influence within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his current role as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory does not translate into authority within the APC.
“Wike may be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State because he was a former governor and they do not have a governor at the moment, but in APC, the leader of the party in Rivers State is Governor Fubara,” Bwala said.
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According to him, President Tinubu’s commitment to internal party democracy and the rule of law, noting that the President supports the APC’s official stance on the matter.
On the impeachment saga, Bwala stressed that the governor must be allowed to govern without interference. “There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” he said.
He further clarified that while the President values loyalty and rewards service, such gestures would not come at the expense of national interest or constitutional order. “The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria. He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right,” he said.
Bwala urged all political actors to respect due process, asserting that the APC’s recognition of Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers had resolved the internal dispute.
Governor Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025 and has since received the party’s endorsement for a second term bid in 2027.
Recall that the Rivers State House of Assembly had initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct, financial impropriety, and constitutional violations.
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