The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the notion that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has become the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state following his defection to the ruling party.
Speaking during a media parley in Port Harcourt on Monday, Wike insisted that party leadership is defined by grassroots structure, not by political office or a title like “001.”
Leadership Flows from the Ward, Not the Government House
Wike argued that true political authority is rooted in the party’s operational base. “There is nothing like 001 in the state. You register in your ward, and your local government is in your ward… You could be the first person to register, but not in the sense that by becoming governor you automatically become leader of the party,” he stated.
While acknowledging that governors often become party leaders in principle, Wike stressed that the title must be earned. “Leadership is not because I am a governor. You must have something that makes you a leader,” he added, implying that Governor Fubara has yet to establish this foundational authority within the APC’s structure.
Attributing Tension to Broken Commitments
The minister directly linked the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State to a failure to uphold agreements, specifically referencing the peace accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the feud between the governor and the state House of Assembly.
According to Wike, Governor Fubara was fully aware of all reconciliation efforts. “The governor cannot say there was no meeting between the speaker and the leadership of the House. He was present. I don’t like politicians who don’t say the truth,” he stated, expressing displeasure over the governor’s recent televised accusations.
A Lesson in Political Courtesy
Wike suggested that Fubara’s actions lacked the basic courtesies that signal genuine political engagement and respect for party structures.
“Nobody told me to go and visit the Assembly to say thank you for their support. I don’t need anybody to tell me to call the speaker and say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. These are steps you take to show seriousness,” Wike said, framing the governor’s approach as disengaged.
On FCT Governance and Senate Relations
Shifting focus to his role as FCT Minister, Wike downplayed reports of a broken relationship with Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory. He referenced a letter from the senator commending his work on infrastructure.
“She commended me for making Abuja a modern city. If there are two areas she thinks have not been done well, it does not mean Abuja is not doing well,” he noted, asserting that security and infrastructure have improved under his tenure.
Reaffirming Loyalty and a Final Jab
Wike concluded by reaffirming his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and his focus on governance. His remarks on Rivers politics, however, delivered a clear message: in the battle for the soul of the state’s APC, Governor Fubara’s new party membership and high office do not, in Wike’s view, automatically translate to control. The real leadership, he insists, will be determined by the entrenched ward structures and the loyalty of party members—a domain where Wike himself has historically held significant sway.
The statement is a direct challenge to Governor Fubara’s political authority and sets the stage for an intense internal struggle within the Rivers State APC as the 2027 elections draw closer.
