• Lawyer faults Minister’s claim

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has automatically become the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state following his recent defection to the ruling party.

Wike, who spoke on Monday during a media parley in Port Harcourt, insisted that party leadership is determined by grassroots structures at the ward and local government levels, not by the office one occupies.

“There is nothing like ‘001’ in party politics,” Wike said. “You register in your ward, and your local government is in your ward. Everybody registers in his ward. You could be the first to register, but it does not mean that by becoming governor you automatically become leader of the party.”

The Guardian reports that Governor Fubara’s quest for a second term has remained contentious in Rivers State, following the protracted political crisis triggered by his rift with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Since his return to the state for the Yuletide, Wike has repeatedly accused Fubara of reneging on earlier agreements. A reliable source told The Guardian that part of the understanding reached when President Bola Tinubu brokered the most recent peace deal in September this year was that Fubara would not seek a second term in office.

However, since his defection to the APC, Fubara appears to have gained renewed political momentum, buoyed by growing support from power blocs in Abuja.

Indeed, the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, recently urged Rivers residents to rally behind the ruling party and support President Tinubu and Governor Fubara in the 2027 general elections.

Basiru made the call while commissioning a project in the state, where he also commended Fubara for what he described as impressive governance strides and the delivery of quality projects.

Similarly, many have differed on the position of the FCT Minister on who controls the party structure in the state.
A legal practitioner and political analyst, Living Jamala, has faulted the position of the Minister of the FCT on the leadership of the APC in Rivers State, describing his claims as “laughable” and “preposterous”.
Jamala was reacting to Wike’s assertion that Fubara, despite defecting to the APC, could not be regarded as the leader of the party in the state.

According to Jamala, Wike’s position was untenable, given that the FCT minister remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“With due respect to the honourable minister, it is laughable, and to say the least, preposterous, for someone who belongs to another political party to attempt to define leadership within the APC,” he said.

The lawyer argued that political parties operate through internal structures and processes, stressing that questions of leadership are the exclusive preserve of party members.

“What is the status of the FCT minister in APC affairs? From the records, he is still a member of the PDP. There is no evidence that he has defected to the APC. It is therefore difficult to understand how someone in a different political party can direct or determine the affairs of another,” Jamala stated.

He acknowledged that such interference might occur in smaller or less structured political groups but insisted that the APC, as a national party with a clearly defined leadership hierarchy, could not be so directed.

“The APC is a national party, headed by a national chairman and supervised by the president. I do not think third-party interference can determine the internal direction of the party, especially ahead of 2027,” he said.
Jamala also argued that Governor Fubara’s political relevance should not be understated, noting that the governor commands significant grassroots support in Rivers State.

“Fubara is not just an individual; he is the sitting governor of the state, with organic followers. You do not need to deploy federal might to impose victory where there is genuine support for a government that is performing,” he said.

He added that, in practical political terms, President Bola Tinubu would not trade such political capital lightly, noting that political support is ultimately driven by credibility and public trust.

According to him, politics is about conviction and loyalty, not coercion, and only those who have surrendered their conscience can be traded without regard to the will of the people.

Speaking further, the minister, while acknowledging that governors are often regarded as party leaders in their states, stressed that leadership must be earned through influence and control of party structures.

“Leadership is not because I am a governor. You must have something that makes you a leader,” he added, and jokingly queried who the political leader is in Lagos State.

The former Rivers State governor attributed the lingering political tension in the state to a breakdown of trust, particularly over commitments allegedly made during reconciliation efforts between the governor and the State House of Assembly.

He accused Governor Fubara of being aware of all peace meetings involving lawmakers and elders, describing as unfair the governor’s public claims that he was being undermined.

“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 do not say the truth,” Wike said, expressing displeasure over remarks he said should not have been made on national television.

Wike also criticised what he described as a lack of basic political courtesy on the part of the governor, noting that genuine efforts at unity require deliberate engagement.

“Nobody told me to visit the Assembly to say thank you for their support. I don’t need anybody to tell me to call the Speaker to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. These are things you do to show seriousness,” he said.

On the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike described Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as “frustrated,” dismissing claims that he met privately with President Bola Tinubu and promised to undermine the opposition party.

Makinde had reportedly told journalists that Wike, during a visit to the State House in 2024, promised President Tinubu that he would restrain the PDP in the President’s favour.

Describing the claim as false, Wike said the meeting with Tinubu had nothing to do with the PDP, but was simply to show support for the President’s leadership.

“That is not true,” Wike said. “Seyi said I told Tinubu that I would hold PDP for him. Nothing like that happened.
“What was that meeting, and what was its purpose that would make me say, ‘Mr President, I will hold PDP down for you’?” Wike asked.

He questioned why Makinde failed to raise the issue earlier within the party if the allegation were true.
Attempting to set the record straight, Wike said the only visit to President Tinubu after the 2023 general elections was a joint courtesy call involving himself, former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Makinde.

“There was no such private meeting. We went to see the President after the elections to discuss issues. The Chief of Staff was there, as always,” he said.

Describing the allegation as “very unfair,” Wike said Makinde’s actions were driven by frustration, adding that political ambition must be pursued within established rules.

“Politics is not like being a contractor with Shell. It has different rules,” he said.
On his relationship with Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the FCT, Wike dismissed suggestions of a total breakdown, noting that policy disagreements do not negate cooperation.

He cited a letter from the senator commending him for the rehabilitation of a major road in Abuja, adding that constructive criticism should not be mistaken for hostility.

Wike listed improvements in security, infrastructure and transportation in the FCT since he assumed office, explaining that some sanitation challenges resulted from the termination of legacy contracts and fresh procurement processes.