APC governors back fubara, frustrate wike’s 2027 plans
Moves allegedly aimed at frustrating the 2027 re-election bid of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have suffered a major setback as several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors rallied behind the embattled governor.
Multiple sources within the APC confirmed on Monday that the renewed hostility between Wike and Fubara was triggered by the decision of some influential APC governors to back Fubara for a second term, a development said to have angered the former Rivers governor. The situation was further compounded by what party insiders described as the tacit endorsement of Fubara by the national leadership of the APC, following growing admiration for his governance style and projects across the state.
Trouble reportedly began when forces loyal to Wike allegedly attempted to support former Peoples Democratic Party National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for the Imo State governorship without consulting Governor Hope Uzodimma. Uzodimma, who also chairs the APC Governors’ Forum, was said to be furious, leading to quiet mobilisation by some governors against the FCT minister.
A senior APC official disclosed that the plan was to weaken Wike’s political grip on Rivers State and diminish his influence nationally, especially as he was reportedly falling out of favour with some powerful figures in the Tinubu administration. Another party insider said the backing of APC governors emboldened Fubara to openly confront Wike’s political dominance in the state.
The crisis spilled into the open on Monday as the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and Wike exchanged sharp words over Rivers politics and the minister’s insistence that he would not support Fubara’s re-election bid. Basiru, in a statement, asked Wike to resign his ministerial position if he wished to continue what he described as an unhealthy obsession with Rivers politics, adding that he was not intimidated by the minister’s alleged threats.
Basiru had earlier publicly declared support for Fubara and cautioned the APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom, against making derogatory remarks about the governor. Giadom had insisted that Fubara could not succeed politically without Wike’s backing, a comment that further inflamed tensions.
Wike, during a visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area, warned Basiru to stay away from Rivers politics, accusing political actors of eyeing the state because of its finances and insisting that Rivers was a “no-go area.” He threatened to escalate the matter to President Bola Tinubu.
Responding, Basiru said Wike lacked the authority to interfere in APC affairs, stressing that the minister was not a member of the party. He maintained that his role as national secretary empowered him to oversee party activities nationwide and dismissed allegations linking him to any interest in Rivers State funds.
The political feud comes amid reports that a previous peace agreement brokered by President Tinubu included an understanding that Fubara would not seek re-election. However, Basiru’s stance appeared to revive hopes for the governor, who defected from the PDP to the APC on December 9, 2025, alongside several lawmakers, in a move seen as a major realignment ahead of 2027.
As the crisis deepened, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba, resigned from the PDP and joined the APC, further strengthening Fubara’s political base.
Prominent Niger Delta activist and Rivers elder, Ann Kio-Briggs, criticised Wike’s attempt to block Fubara’s second-term ambition, describing it as a threat to democracy and peace in the state. She insisted that no individual owned Rivers State and that the people must be allowed to choose their leader freely.
Calls for restraint have also emerged within the APC, with party chieftains urging unity and warning that the public spat could distract the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.