The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed the Presidency’s position on the political rift between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing it as a reaffirmation of party constitutional order. The Presidency, through the President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Communication, Daniel Bwala, had on Thursday stated that Governor Fubara remains the leader of the party in Rivers State and should be allowed to carry out his duties without undue interference.
Bwala, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said President Bola Tinubu supports Governor Fubara’s leadership while acknowledging the contributions of Wike to the Tinubu administration. He, however, clarified that the FCT minister is not a member of the APC and stressed the need for the Rivers governor to be given the space to govern. Reacting in a statement, the Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, said the presidential clarification vindicated the party’s position and aligned with the APC’s national policy that recognises governors as leaders of the party at the state level.
The Rivers APC also criticised comments attributed to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on the impeachment process involving Governor Fubara and his deputy, describing them as contradictory to the principles of party membership. The party urged Morka to step aside for failing to protect the party’s organisational objectives and called on the APC National Working Committee to respect existing court judgments on Rivers APC leadership. It further demanded the immediate conduct of congresses at the ward, local government and state levels to harmonise contending interests within the party.