The political tension surrounding Rivers State took another dramatic turn after the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, publicly addressed the controversial withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the APC governorship primary race.
Speaking amid growing political speculation, Yilwatda insisted that Fubara personally chose to withdraw from the contest and was not forced out of the process.
According to him, the governor had fully participated in the early stages of the APC screening process before eventually deciding to step aside ahead of the primaries.
“He Bought Forms, Passed Screening”
Yilwatda disclosed that Fubara officially purchased nomination forms, appeared before the screening committee and was cleared to contest before later informing the party of his decision to withdraw.
“He pulled out; he stepped down. It is personal to him,” the APC chairman stated while responding to questions surrounding the Rivers political situation.
The clarification comes after days of intense speculation online about possible political pressure and backroom negotiations linked to the governor’s withdrawal.
APC Chairman Distances Wike From The Process
One of the biggest questions surrounding the development has been whether Nyesom Wike influenced the APC primary process behind the scenes.
But Yilwatda strongly dismissed those claims.
In a direct response, the APC chairman argued that Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and therefore should not be connected to APC internal activities.
“Wike is not in our party. He is in PDP,” he said.
Fubara Says Withdrawal Was About Peace
Before the latest APC comments, Fubara had already publicly explained why he chose to withdraw from the governorship race.
According to the Rivers governor, his decision was driven by the need to preserve peace, stability and unity within the state ahead of the next election cycle.
He insisted the move should not be interpreted as fear, weakness or surrender.
Instead, he described it as a personal sacrifice aimed at preventing further political tension in Rivers State.
Wike Breaks Silence And Reveals Alleged Political Deal
Meanwhile, Wike himself later added fresh controversy to the situation after publicly mocking Fubara’s withdrawal while speaking during an inspection tour of projects in Abuja.
The former Rivers governor claimed there had been a political understanding connected to intervention efforts allegedly initiated by Bola Tinubu.
According to Wike, part of the arrangement involved Fubara stepping away from second-term ambitions while impeachment tensions involving the Rivers State House of Assembly would also be dropped.
Wike criticized the governor for allegedly purchasing nomination forms despite the ongoing political understanding, suggesting the move showed a lack of “gentlemanship.”
Rivers Politics Continues To Generate National Attention
The Rivers political crisis has remained one of the most closely watched political dramas in Nigeria over the past months.
What initially appeared to be a disagreement between political allies has gradually evolved into a wider battle involving:
- party structures,
- legislative tensions,
- loyalty disputes,
- and control of political influence in the state.
With governorship politics now becoming increasingly linked to national power conversations ahead of 2027, many observers believe Rivers State could remain one of Nigeria’s most politically explosive states in the months ahead.
