The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared Governor Sim Fubara as the leader of the party in Rivers State, while stating the condition under which the party would support him for a second term in office.
Speaking during a television interview, Yilwatda said that by virtue of being the sitting governor, Fubara is the leader of the party in the state, but stressed the need for him to work with other stakeholders.
“Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State, but he would need to coordinate with every other person in the state,” he said.
Asked whether he would support Fubara’s re-election bid, the APC chairman said his backing would depend on the outcome of the party’s primary election.
“I don’t choose who to support in the state’s primary election. If Fubara emerges as the APC candidate, I’ll support him.
“If he loses the primary, I’ll sympathise with him and go with the person who wins the primary election.”
Yilwatda’s comments come amid renewed political tension between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over control of the political structure in Rivers State.
After defecting to the APC, Fubara had declared himself the party’s number one leader in the state.
However, Wike dismissed the claim, insisting that he controls the political machinery in Rivers, noting that both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party have aligned to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 ambition.
