APC in Talks With Wike Over Rivers Crisis Between Fubara and State Lawmakers

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has opened discussions with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in a bid to resolve the political standoff rocking Rivers State.

The crisis centres on Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The dispute has continued for months and has deepened political tension in the state.

APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, confirmed that Wike is part of the ongoing reconciliation efforts. He explained that although Wike is not a registered member of the APC, his political influence in Rivers State makes his involvement unavoidable.

Basiru spoke while appearing on a television programme on Thursday. He said Wike’s loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and his strong political structure in Rivers State place him in a strategic position in the resolution process.

According to him, the party is holding behind-the-scenes consultations and does not intend to make every step public.

Basiru stated, **“Of course, as you know, Wike is an avowed supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even though not a member of the political party, and I well noted that also in my statement.

“So, as somebody who is interested in the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rivers State is critical to that success, and of course, definitely he will be engaged, and he’s been engaged on an amicable resolution in the state as expected.”**

The political tension in Rivers State intensified after Governor Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 9. His decision followed more than a year of disagreement with his predecessor, Wike, over control of political structures in the state.

The move was widely seen as a major shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Several lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly had earlier joined the APC before the governor’s defection. This development effectively ended Fubara’s long association with the PDP and positioned him as a leading figure within the APC in the state.

Shortly after the defection, Wike openly criticised Fubara. He accused the governor of violating previous agreements and raised doubts about his chances of securing a second term in office.

The FCT minister also claimed that Fubara lacks strong grassroots support within the APC. He argued that the governor was being wrongly advised and would struggle to win the 2027 governorship election.

In another twist, lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly, most of whom now belong to the APC like the governor, announced impeachment proceedings against Fubara on January 8.

The action shocked many political observers. It was widely linked to Wike’s influence within the state political structure.

However, the impeachment process has not moved forward due to court cases currently challenging the legality of the proceedings.

Speaking on the party’s position, Basiru said the APC is confident that the Rivers crisis will be resolved peacefully.

He assured that the settlement would not produce winners or losers and that the outcome would be made known soon.

Basiru also responded to claims that only political elites are defecting to the APC. He rejected the view and described the party as a mass-based organisation.

He said, **“The APC is a very serious political party. We are a mass-based organization, and going by the figures, which of course I will not disclose, from our Mass-based e-registration system, we are sure that APC is a party to beat in all elections.
We are loved by the Nigerian people, and they are trooping out to join the APC.

“We have made tremendous progress in the registration of new members that we have embarked upon, but I won’t go into the figures. We are very comfortable that we are not an elite organization. Our tradition is socio-democratic, pro-people, and we are working to strengthen our party. Like I have said on several occasions, we are mobilizing, conscientizing, and showing Nigerians why the pan-Nigerian political party, the APC, is the party to be in.

“Of course, we are resilient, and persistent in ensuring that we pass our message and get people to join our political party. As I speak now, the mass of Nigerian people are joining our party in large numbers.”**

Party officials believe Rivers State remains politically crucial to the success of President Tinubu’s administration and the APC’s plans for future elections.

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