Political tension is brewing in Rivers State as the Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) has cautioned that recent remarks credited to the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, could jeopardise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s chances in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Director-General, Hon. Johnson Georgewill, and Secretary, Mrs. Sarima Akpata, described Basiru’s comments—allegedly calling on Wike to resign and accusing him of interfering in Rivers politics—as careless and inflammatory.
RRM warned that such utterances could inflame tensions and undermine the fragile political balance in Rivers, a state it described as strategic to national electoral calculations.
The movement, which said it worked with over 40 affiliate groups to support the 2023 political realignment that produced Governor Siminalayi Fubara, noted that it would ordinarily have ignored the comments but was compelled to react because of Rivers State’s importance to President Tinubu’s political future.
“Rivers remains a major battleground. Any statement capable of destabilising the state has far-reaching implications for the ruling party and the President,” the group said.
RRM queried whether Basiru was privy to peace meetings and agreements reached between Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly, and whether he was aware of commitments reportedly made by the governor to uphold such agreements in the interest of stability and governance.
The group also questioned whether the APC scribe appreciated the political sacrifices and strategic role played by Wike in delivering Rivers State for Tinubu and boosting his vote spread during the 2023 presidential election.
Calling on the APC national leadership to rein in its National Secretary, RRM warned that public disagreements and internal party disputes could prove counterproductive.
The movement urged Wike to ignore political actors it described as lacking electoral weight and instead focus on building a broad-based coalition to secure Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
RRM further said such a coalition should work towards producing a new Rivers governor who embodies honesty, gratitude and teamwork, adding that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, a “grateful Rivers Ijaw son” should be considered as successor to Governor Fubara.
