2027 Power Play: Rivers Tension Deepens as APC Governors Rally Behind Fubara
The political standoff in Rivers State has taken a sharper turn as indications emerge that several governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are throwing their weight behind Governor **Siminalayi Fubara’s** 2027 re-election ambition—an outcome believed to have unsettled his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, **Nyesom Wike**.
Sources within the APC disclosed that Wike’s efforts to block Fubara’s second-term bid have encountered resistance from influential party governors who have openly embraced the Rivers governor, praising his performance and project delivery across the state. This growing support is said to have reignited hostilities between the former allies.
Party insiders suggest that the crisis worsened after political allies of Wike allegedly attempted to push former PDP National Secretary **Samuel Anyanwu** as a preferred governorship candidate in Imo State without the consent of Governor **Hope Uzodimma**, who also chairs the APC Governors’ Forum. The move reportedly angered Uzodimma, prompting a quiet mobilisation of APC governors against Wike’s expanding influence.
According to a senior party source, the strategy among some APC leaders is to curtail Wike’s political grip in Rivers State, especially amid claims that he lacks strong backing from certain power blocs within President **Bola Tinubu’s** administration. This alignment, the source said, has emboldened Fubara to stand his ground politically.
The situation escalated further on Monday as the APC National Secretary, **Ajibola Basiru**, and Wike exchanged sharp words over Rivers politics. Basiru publicly urged the FCT minister to step away from his federal role if he intended to remain deeply involved in state-level political battles.
Basiru, who had earlier voiced support for Fubara, warned party officials against openly dismissing the governor’s political relevance. His remarks appeared to be a response to comments by APC South-South Vice Chairman **Victor Giadom**, who suggested that Fubara could not secure electoral success in Rivers without Wike’s backing—particularly in Gokana Local Government Area.
Giadom described Wike as the dominant political force in Gokana, insisting that no politician, including the sitting governor, could win there without Wike’s endorsement. These comments drew criticism from Basiru, who accused party officials of taking sides in an internal crisis.
Speaking during the commissioning of public housing projects in Rivers late last year, Basiru had urged residents to support President Tinubu and Governor Fubara in the 2027 elections, commending the governor’s governance style and development initiatives.
Wike, however, responded during a visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area, warning Basiru and other APC leaders to refrain from interfering in Rivers politics. He accused unnamed individuals of being attracted by the state’s financial strength and cautioned against taking Rivers’ political support for granted.
In a strongly worded rebuttal, Basiru insisted that Wike had no authority to meddle in APC affairs, stressing that the former Rivers governor is not a member of the ruling party. He reaffirmed his role as the party’s national secretary, stating that his responsibilities extend across all states of the federation.
Basiru also dismissed allegations suggesting he had an interest in Rivers State funds, describing such claims as malicious and inconsistent with his public record. He maintained that intimidation would not deter him from taking principled positions within the party.
The question of Fubara’s second-term ambition has remained contentious since the political fallout between him and Wike, which previously led to presidential intervention. Reports at the time claimed that part of the peace agreement included Fubara’s commitment not to seek re-election.
However, that narrative shifted after Fubara formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 9, following the defection of several Rivers lawmakers. The move effectively repositioned him as the APC’s leading political figure in the state ahead of 2027.
Since then, Wike has openly questioned Fubara’s chances, accusing him of reneging on agreements and insisting that the governor lacks genuine APC support. Giadom has echoed this position, maintaining that Fubara must still contend with Wike’s political structure to secure another term.