Fresh political developments have emerged in Rivers State as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly unwilling to support the second-term ambition of Governor Siminalayi Fubara under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The reported decision is closely tied to the lingering political rift between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who continues to wield significant influence over the political structure in Rivers State.
Sources indicate that the President has directed the APC leadership in the state to allow Wike assume full control of party affairs, including overseeing the selection of candidates for the 2027 general elections. This move effectively places the party’s structure and decision-making power in Wike’s hands.
In a further twist, Wike is said to have endorsed Kingsley Chinda, a former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, as his preferred governorship candidate. Chinda, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has reportedly been cleared by the APC screening panel to contest in the party’s primary.
Despite efforts by Governor Fubara to secure presidential backing, insiders claim he was advised to reconcile with Wike as a condition for support. However, Wike has consistently maintained that Fubara will not secure a second term, reinforcing the growing uncertainty around the governor’s political future.
The APC governorship primary, scheduled for May 21, 2026, is expected to be highly competitive, with Fubara likely to face Chinda, Dax George-Kelly, and former governorship candidate Tonye Cole.
Political analysts believe the unfolding contest goes beyond the governorship seat, pointing instead to a broader struggle for dominance over the APC structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
