Rivers politics: Wike Will Be Under Gov Fubara In APC, If…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that FCT Minister, Wike, will “certainly be under” his successor, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, if he decides to join the United States, underscoring that leadership positions are tied to current office.

APC Director of Information, Bala Ibrahim, made the comments during an interview monitored by online newspaper on Trust TV.

He said, “He will be given a position. There will be a seat for him. If he decides to join, he will be placed accordingly.”

When asked if Wike would replace Fubara, Ibrahim replied, “No way. He will certainly be under Fubara.”

He further added, “That’s a choice for him, right? If you follow, you will be followed. But if you don’t follow, nobody is going to follow you. When he was the governor, he was followed. Now that he’s not the governor, he must follow. You cannot carry the position of leadership after vacating the seat.”

Reports indicate that Wike’s efforts to sabotage Governor Fubara’s 2027 re-election bid have hit a major setback, as several APC governors have reportedly rallied behind the governor.

Multiple sources within the APC told newsmen on Monday that the renewed hostilities between Wike and Fubara were triggered by the decision of some top APC governors to endorse Fubara’s second-term bid, a move the FCT minister is allegedly opposed to.

The development was further strengthened by the party leadership’s explicit support for Fubara, who has reportedly endeared himself to APC’s top echelons, many of whom have praised his projects across the state.

Trouble, sources say, began when forces loyal to Wike attempted to back the former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Samuel Anyanwu, as the next governor of Imo State, without consulting Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is also Chairman of the APC governors.

“The plan is to weaken the FCT minister in his home state and reduce his influence and political power. This was further compounded by the fact that Wike is reportedly not favoured by some powerful members of the Tinubu administration,” a senior APC official told The PUNCH on Monday night.

“So, some APC governors mobilised their colleagues to support Fubara, and the result is what is playing out in the form of the renewed hostilities between the two men.”