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We’ll Support Fubura If he Wins Primary – APC N’Chair
As the debate about who is the leader of the APC in Rivers between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike after the governor defected to the party from the PDP lingers on, the National Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the party in Rivers State.
Yilwatda, a professor, spoke on Friday during an interview on Hard Copy, a Channels Television programme.
The APC chairperson, however, said the ruling party would support Mr Fubara for a second term in 2027 only if he wins the party’s primaries.
Fubara, elected governor of Rivers in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress in December last year.
Sworn in on 29 May 2023, the governor’s first tenure will elapse by 29 May 2027. There are indications that he will seek reelection, although he has yet to declare his interest.
“Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State, but he would need to coordinate with every other person in the state,” Mr Yilwatda said during the programme.
“In all the states, we have the state governors lead the parties in their respective states. In APC, we give them that privilege, but we also ask the governors to ensure inclusion — to coordinate and carry everyone along.”
Yilwatda was asked during the programme if the APC would support Mr Fubara should he seek reelection in 2027.
“We did primaries in Ekiti State, and the governor contested with others before he emerged as the APC candidate. The same rule applies to every state — even Governor Fubara will have to go through the normal process if he seeks the ticket,” he responded.
Yilwatda said discussions concerning the party’s affairs in Rivers State would be held with Governor Fubara, not the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who remains a member of the PDP.
“If we are discussing elections, we will not be discussing with Nyesom Wike. He is not a member of our party,” he stated.
“We will be discussing with Siminalayi Fubara because he is a member of the All Progressives Congress right now.
“I think we are over-flogging what we don’t need to over-flog.
“Wike is in the PDP. Allow me to discuss members of my party, not people who are not members. I am chairman of the APC, not chairman of all political parties in Nigeria,” he said.
