The All Progressives Congress (APC) State Assembly Forum (ASAF) has declared its full support for Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as the leader of the party in the state. The forum also passed a vote of confidence on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), backing its recent position on the leadership of the APC in Rivers State.
ASAF is made up of all elected and serving APC members in state houses of assembly across the country. The forum spoke amid growing controversy following Governor Fubara’s recent defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC.
Governor Fubara’s move to the APC has sparked intense political debate in Rivers State and beyond. The defection came against the backdrop of a long-running power struggle between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Wike has openly criticised Fubara’s defection, accusing the governor of violating an agreement allegedly reached before President Bola Tinubu. According to Wike, the agreement was signed as part of efforts to resolve the political crisis in Rivers State and to lift Fubara’s suspension that followed an earlier six-month emergency rule imposed on the state.
However, the APC National Working Committee rejected Wike’s claims and insisted that Governor Fubara, like other sitting APC governors, is the leader of the party in his state. The NWC also stressed that Wike is not a member of the APC and therefore has no authority to interfere in the internal affairs of the party.
The disagreement deepened at the weekend when the APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom, said Governor Fubara could not be recognised as the APC leader in Rivers State. Giadom also claimed that the governor could not seek re-election on the APC platform without the backing of Wike.
This position drew a strong response from the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, who dismissed Giadom’s claims and reaffirmed the NWC’s stance. The exchange later escalated when Wike reportedly issued threats against Bashiru over his comments.
Against this background, ASAF stepped in to clarify its position and to support the party’s national leadership. In a statement issued from Kaduna on Wednesday and signed by its Director-General, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, the forum said the APC has clear and well-defined rules that guide leadership structure at both national and state levels.
According to ASAF, there should be no confusion about who leads the APC in Rivers State, as the party’s constitution clearly recognises a sitting governor as the party leader in his state.
“Our great party is well structured and has a clear constitution that sets out the party’s leadership structure. So, there is no need for any dispute over the leadership of the APC in Rivers State,” the statement said.
The forum described the statements made by the APC National Chairman and National Secretary as clear, lawful, and in line with the party’s constitution. It said the NWC, led by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has acted correctly and deserves the full support of party members across the country.
ASAF therefore passed a vote of confidence on the NWC, praising it for standing firm in the face of pressure and external interference. The forum said Governor Fubara is “on the right track” and should be recognised as the uncontested leader of the APC in Rivers State.
The group also urged Governor Fubara and the APC leadership to remain focused and not be distracted by what it described as attempts by non-party members to cause division within the party.
ASAF noted that Rivers State has experienced prolonged political tension in recent years, which has affected governance and development. It said the governor’s current performance in office has earned him the support of many residents of the state, regardless of party affiliation.
The forum advised the governor to continue delivering good governance and to strengthen party unity as preparations begin for future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
In a strong warning, ASAF cautioned non-APC members to stay away from the internal affairs of the ruling party. It alleged that some members of opposition parties, troubled by defections to the APC, may be planning to infiltrate the party to create confusion and weaken it ahead of the next elections.
“We urge our members to be vigilant because there is envy from members of the disorganised opposition parties who may try hard to infiltrate the APC and cause confusion aimed at destroying our unity, under the pretext of supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election project in 2027,” the forum said.
It added that similar tactics were used in the past to destabilise opposition parties and warned APC members not to allow such actions succeed within their ranks.
ASAF further claimed that the unity and growing strength of the APC nationwide have unsettled opposition parties, leading to what it described as “a myriad of defections” into the ruling party.
“Our joy, however, is that the APC is a party built on a very strong foundation, with the solid commitment of the current NWC and stakeholders, and cannot be infiltrated to create crisis and destruction as they did in their own parties,” the statement added.
For now, ASAF’s endorsement of Governor Fubara and the APC NWC appears to have drawn a clear line in the ongoing dispute. Whether this will ease tensions in Rivers State or lead to further political clashes remains to be seen. However, the forum’s message is clear: the APC leadership structure is settled, and Governor Fubara has the backing of APC lawmakers nationwide.