The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has clarified that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was neither disqualified nor pressured to leave the party’s governorship primary race ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Yilwatda explained that Fubara voluntarily withdrew from the contest after successfully completing the APC screening process.
According to him, the governor purchased the party’s nomination forms, appeared before the screening committee, and was cleared to participate in the primary before deciding to step down for personal reasons.
“He withdrew on his own. He bought the forms, attended screening, passed the process, and we were preparing for the primaries before he chose to step aside,” Yilwatda said.
The APC chairman also dismissed suggestions that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, influenced the development or played any role in Fubara’s withdrawal.
Yilwatda stressed that Wike is not a member of the APC but remains in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Wike is not in APC. He belongs to the PDP,” he stated.
Fubara had earlier announced his withdrawal from the APC governorship primary, saying the decision was made to preserve peace, unity, and stability in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The governor said his decision should not be seen as a sign of weakness or surrender but as a sacrifice aimed at ensuring harmony in the state.
“I stepped aside not out of fear or weakness, but out of conviction and sacrifice so Rivers State can move forward peacefully. I remain committed to serving the people of Rivers State until the end of my tenure,” Fubara said.
Meanwhile, Wike has publicly reacted to the political developments in Rivers State, criticizing Fubara’s withdrawal from the race while backing the emergence of House of Representatives member Kingsley Chinda as the APC governorship candidate.
Speaking during an inspection of infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike revealed that President Bola Tinubu had allegedly brokered a political agreement aimed at resolving tensions in Rivers State.
According to Wike, the arrangement involved Fubara dropping his second-term ambition in exchange for the Rivers State House of Assembly suspending impeachment moves against him.
“By picking the form initially, he did not show signs of honoring the agreement. Mr President had intervened several times and appealed to lawmakers not to continue with the impeachment process,” Wike stated.
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