ABUJA, Nigeria — A senior media aide to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, said this week that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the recognised leader of Nigeria’s governing All Progressives Congress in the state.
The aide also insisted that Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party.
Mr Wike is a former Rivers governor and now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Bwala, the Special Adviser to Mr Tinubu on Policy Communication, made the remarks on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme as a political crisis in Rivers State deepened into impeachment proceedings initiated by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against Mr Fubara.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman [Nentawe Yilwatda] 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,” Mr Bwala said.
He added that while Mr Wike may retain influence within the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, he had no authority within the A.P.C.
“He may be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State because he was a former governor and they do not have a governor at the moment, but in APC, the leader of the party in Rivers State is Governor Fubara,” he said.
Mr Bwala said President Tinubu supported the position taken by the A.P.C. leadership on the Rivers situation, describing the president as committed to the rule of law and party processes.
“The President believes in the rule of law and rule-based practice,” Mr Bwala said. “With respect to party affairs, what the national chairman said is the position the President sticks to because he respects party procedure.”
Addressing the impeachment attempt against the governor, Mr Bwala said the party’s position was that Mr Fubara should be allowed to govern without interference, citing court orders he said had stopped the impeachment process.
“There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment,” he said. “The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state.”
Mr Bwala also sought to distinguish Mr Wike’s federal appointment from party membership, describing him as serving the government rather than exercising influence within the A.P.C.
The presidential aide rejected suggestions that Mr Wike had undue influence within the administration, saying Mr Tinubu rewarded performance but not at the expense of national interest.
“The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria,” Mr Bwala said. “He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right.”
Mr Bwala said the dispute between Mr Wike and Mr Fubara had effectively been settled by the party’s recognition of Mr Fubara as leader of the A.P.C. in Rivers State, urging political actors to respect due process and constitutional governance.
Mr Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in December 2025, according to the account given on the programme. He has also been endorsed by the party for a second term in the 2027 elections.
Mr Wike, despite serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under an A.P.C.-led government, has not joined the party, Mr Bwala said.
