Daniel Bwala, a Special Adviser on Policy Communication to Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, southern Nigeria, insisting that former governor Nyesom Wike does not speak for the ruling party in the state.
Bwala made the remarks during a televised interview on Thursday, 22 January 2026, as Rivers State faces a fresh political standoff that has seen the Rivers State House of Assembly begin impeachment proceedings against Fubara.
He said the position of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s governing party at the federal level, is clear on who leads the party structure in Rivers State. Okay News reports that Bwala pointed to comments by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, as backing the view that Fubara is the party’s leader in the state.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State. Wike is not a member of APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” Bwala said.
He added that Wike may have influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one of Nigeria’s major political parties, because Wike previously served as governor and the party does not currently control the state’s top executive seat, but that this does not translate into authority within the APC in Rivers.
Bwala also said President Tinubu supports internal party processes and the rule of law, and that the administration aligns with the APC leadership’s stance in Rivers State.
On the impeachment push against Fubara, Bwala said the party expects that the governor should be allowed to carry out his duties without obstruction. He referred to court actions connected to the dispute, saying, “There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state.”
He further argued that Wike’s current role as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Abuja-based administrative area that houses Nigeria’s capital, does not give him party authority in Rivers State. Bwala described Wike’s ministerial appointment as service to the Federal Government, not a basis to direct the APC in the state.
“The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria. He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right,” Bwala said.
He urged political actors and other stakeholders to follow constitutional and legal processes, adding that the APC’s recognition of Fubara as party leader should settle internal party disagreements in Rivers State.
Fubara, who governs Rivers State, an oil-producing state in the Niger Delta region with Port Harcourt as its capital, moved to the APC in December 2025 after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He has also been endorsed by party figures for a second term bid ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly have initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct. The claims include accusations of financial mismanagement and breaches of constitutional provisions, as the political crisis in the state continues to draw national attention.
