APC Backs Fubara for Second Term as Rivers Politics Shifts

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Rivers State residents to deliver strong support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, signaling a major realignment in the South-south following Fubara’s defection to the party.

APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru made the appeal during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters in Elimgbu on Monday. “I congratulate our governor, I congratulate our party, because when the governor is doing well, it simply means that our party is doing well,” Basiru said. He added that continued votes for the APC would reward both the governor and party members in Rivers.

Fubara’s move to the APC has given the ruling party greater influence across the South-south, a region long dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party. His defection followed months of political tension with his predecessor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, which included a split legislature, impeachment threats, and a six-month state of emergency.

Since joining the APC, Fubara has been positioned as a central figure in the party’s strategy for Rivers ahead of the 2027 elections. Basiru’s statements suggest the party is preparing to back him for a second term, linking electoral support for the APC directly to support for Fubara’s administration.

The move also raises questions about Wike’s continuing influence in Rivers, as party leaders rally around Fubara as the state’s new political center.