The All Progressives Congress has dismissed claims that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was pressured out of the party’s governorship primary, insisting that his decision to withdraw from the race was voluntary.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, said Fubara had fully participated in the party’s pre-primary process before deciding to step aside.
According to him, the governor purchased the party’s nomination forms, underwent screening and was cleared to contest before announcing his withdrawal ahead of the primary election.
“He pulled out; he stepped down. It is personal to him,” Yilwatda said.
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“He bought the forms, came for screening, passed the screening, and we were waiting for the primaries before he opted to step down.”
The APC chairman also rejected suggestions that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, influenced the process or orchestrated Fubara’s withdrawal from the contest.
When asked whether Wike played any role in the Rivers APC primary, Yilwatda maintained that the former governor was not a member of the ruling party.
“Wike is not in our party. He is in PDP,” he clarified.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara had earlier announced his withdrawal from the APC governorship primary, saying the decision was taken to preserve peace and stability in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election.
“Let it be clearly understood that I stepped aside from participating in the upcoming Rivers State gubernatorial election not out of weakness, fear, or surrender, but out of conviction and sacrifice so that Rivers State may move forward in peace and unity and I remain committed to serving the good people of Rivers State till the end of my term,” Fubara said.
Meanwhile, Wike broke his silence over the political developments in Rivers State while speaking during an inspection of infrastructure projects in Abuja.
The former Rivers governor backed the emergence of House of Representatives member, Kingsley Chinda, as the APC governorship candidate and criticised Fubara’s initial decision to obtain the party’s nomination form.
According to Wike, President Bola Tinubu had previously intervened in the Rivers political crisis and brokered an understanding aimed at halting impeachment threats against the governor.
“By collecting the form first, he didn’t show signs of gentlemanship. He didn’t show that sign, and that was not expected.
“We thought that Mr President had been intervening severally and pleading with the legislature not to continue with impeachment,” Wike said.
