The Tinubu Support Group (TSG) has urged the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentewa Yilwatda, to handle the ongoing crisis rocking the party in Rivers State with caution, describing it as his first real test of credibility and ability to manage internal disputes ahead of future elections.

The APC is currently embroiled in a leadership legitimacy crisis ahead of the August 30, 2025, Local Government Area elections in Rivers State, with two claimants — Emeka Beke and Tony Okocha — battling for official recognition.

While Okocha has continued to parade himself as the authentic chairman of the party, Beke has warned that recognising the former Chief of Staff to ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi would spell doom for the APC ahead of the polls.

Beke, who recently paid a congratulatory visit to the APC National Chairman, stressed that he remains the authentic chairman of the APC in Rivers State based on an existing High Court ruling that pronounced him and his State Working Committee as the legitimate leadership.

He cited a Rivers State High Court judgment delivered by Justice S.H. Aprioku, which voided the purported dissolution of his Executive Committee and validated his tenure of office until October 2025. According to Beke, the judgment remains in force as it has not been set aside by any higher court.

In a statement issued on Thursday ahead of the National Chairman’s planned visit to Rivers State, the Tinubu Support Group warned him not to allow himself to be drawn into any damaging controversy by factions within the party.

It will be recalled that both contending factions in the Rivers APC crisis have submitted their candidates’ lists to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) ahead of the elections.

Similarly, RSIEC confirmed it had received a petition from the Emeka Beke-led faction challenging the rival list, and promised to look into it, noting that the final list of candidates for the elections will be published next week.

The TSG therefore, cautioned that the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) must remain neutral and avoid taking sides in order not to deepen the crisis before the 2027 general elections.

“We urge our new National Chairman and the NWC to carefully wade into the Rivers State crisis with the goal of reconciling all parties, rather than taking sides. We are all in this together and need each other ahead of the great task of delivering our party in the 2027 elections,” TSG stated.

“The Chairman and NWC must avoid taking a position, especially as they are being lured into a campaign rally today by one of the factions. Doing so may spell doom for the APC ahead of the Rivers LG polls.

“We need to bring all factions to work together. Dividing us and supporting one side against the other could damage the APC’s prospects in the state ahead of future and more important polls.”

“He should not allow himself to be enticed into politically sensitive visits to certain states, especially at this time. The Rivers State election, as well as the bye-elections in many other states, will serve as his first major test of credibility and his approach to resolving internal party crises.”