The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has reaffirmed that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, stressing that former governor Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party.
Bwala made the clarification while speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, against the backdrop of the escalating political crisis in Rivers State, which has culminated in impeachment proceedings initiated by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Fubara.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman [Nentawe Yilwatda] that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State. Wike is not a member of APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” Bwala said.
He explained that while Wike may still command influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, he has no authority or standing within the APC.
“He 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,” he stated.
Bwala added that President Bola Tinubu remains committed to the rule of law and respects internal party processes, noting that the President fully aligns with the position taken by the APC leadership on the Rivers State situation.
“The President believes in the rule of law and rule-based practice. With respect to party affairs, what the national chairman said is the position the President sticks to because he respects party procedure,” he said.
On the ongoing impeachment attempts against Governor Fubara, Bwala said the party’s position is clear and unequivocal, insisting that the governor must be allowed to perform his constitutional responsibilities without obstruction.
“There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” he said.
The presidential aide further clarified that Wike’s role in government should not be confused with party membership, stressing that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) serves the federal government and not the APC as a political organisation.
He dismissed claims that Wike exercises undue influence within the Tinubu administration, explaining that the President rewards performance but never at the expense of national interest.
“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,” Bwala said.
According to him, the political dispute between Wike and Fubara has effectively been settled by the party’s formal recognition of Fubara as the APC leader in Rivers State, urging all stakeholders to respect due process and constitutional governance.
Governor Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025 and has since been endorsed by the party to seek a second term in the 2027 elections.
Wike, despite serving as FCT Minister under an APC-led federal government, has not joined the APC. The party’s leadership maintains that he has no official standing within the APC and serves the federal government, not the party.
