The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Mr Daniel Bwala, has reaffirmed that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He insisted that former governor Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party and has no authority within the ruling party.
Bwala made the clarification on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, a current affairs programme, against the backdrop of the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, which has escalated into impeachment proceedings initiated by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Fubara.
Aligning himself with the position of the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Bwala said there was no ambiguity about the party’s leadership structure in Rivers State.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State. Wike is not a member of APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” he said.
He explained that while Wike may still wield influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, such influence does not extend to the APC.
“He may be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State because he was a former governor and they do not have a governor at the moment, but in APC, the leader of the party in Rivers State is Governor Fubara,” Bwala stated.
The presidential aide further stressed that President Tinubu fully supports the position of the APC leadership on Rivers State, noting that the President is committed to the rule of law and due process in both governance and party affairs.
“The President believes in the rule of law and rule-based practice. With respect to party affairs, what the national chairman said is the position the President sticks to because he respects party procedure,” he said.
On the impeachment moves against Governor Fubara, Bwala said the party’s position was unambiguous, adding that the governor must be allowed to carry out his constitutional responsibilities without interference.
“There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” he said.
Bwala also addressed perceptions surrounding Wike’s role within the Tinubu administration, clarifying that the former Rivers governor serves the federal government as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and not the APC as a political party.
According to him, Wike’s appointment should not be misconstrued as party membership or influence within the APC’s internal structure.
“The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria. He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right,” Bwala said, dismissing claims of undue influence by the FCT minister.
He added that the dispute between Wike and Fubara had, in effect, been settled by the party’s formal recognition of Governor Fubara as the APC leader in Rivers State, urging all political actors to respect constitutional governance and due process.
Governor Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025 and has since been endorsed by the ruling party for a second term ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite serving in an APC-led federal government, Wike has not joined the party. The APC leadership maintains that he has no official standing within the party and operates strictly as a member of the Federal Executive Council, not as an APC chieftain.