Fubara Secures APC Support Amid Wike’s Opposition Ahead of 2027 Polls

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has received significant backing from All Progressives Congress (APC) governors as he prepares for a potential 2027 re-election bid, despite ongoing opposition from Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.

Sources within the APC confirmed that top governors in the party have publicly endorsed Fubara, viewing him as a key figure in the state and praising his governance and development initiatives. This support comes amid reports of increasing tension between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor, who has expressed his intention to block the governor’s re-election.

The dispute reportedly began when Wike’s allies attempted to back Samuel Anyanwu, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretary, for the governorship of Imo State without consulting APC Governor Hope Uzodimma. Uzodimma, who also chairs the APC governors’ forum, opposed the move, prompting other APC governors to align with Fubara in Rivers State.

A senior APC official explained, “The goal is to limit the FCT minister’s influence in his home state. Some governors mobilized support for Fubara, and the resulting friction reflects that shift.”

Fubara’s position was further strengthened when APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru publicly affirmed his support for the governor. Basiru urged Wike to focus on his ministerial duties, noting that as a PDP member, the minister has no authority over APC internal affairs. Basiru also dismissed allegations linking him to state funds, describing such claims as baseless.

Wike, in turn, warned Basiru and other party officials to avoid interference in Rivers State politics, citing a ₦600 billion state allocation and insisting that outsiders must respect the state’s political environment. APC South-South Vice Chairman Victor Giadom echoed Wike’s position, arguing that Fubara would need to contend with the minister to secure re-election.

The political landscape shifted further when Fubara officially left the PDP and joined the APC on December 9, 2025. Several members of the Rivers State House of Assembly also defected to APC, positioning Fubara as the party’s leading figure in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.

The defections continued with Rivers State Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and Secretary to the State Government Dr. Benibo Anabraba leaving the PDP and registering as APC members, signaling a broader realignment within state politics.

Local leaders have also weighed in on the dispute. Former ambassador Desmond Akawor criticized the perceived slowdown of development in Oyigbo Local Government Area under Fubara, calling for equitable distribution of state resources. Meanwhile, prominent Rivers elder Ann Kio-Briggs described Wike’s attempts to block Fubara’s re-election as a threat to the state’s democratic choice, emphasizing that the people of Rivers should decide their governor.

Former Lagos APC spokesman Joe Igbokwe urged unity within the party, warning that the Wike-Basiru disagreement risks diverting attention from governance and development.