Tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have escalated as senior party figures issue a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu over the growing influence of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike in Rivers State politics.
The warning comes amid renewed hostilities between Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his successor in Rivers State. APC leaders are concerned that Wike’s political maneuvers could fracture party unity and spark a direct confrontation with the Presidency.
A member of the APC National Working Committee, who spoke anonymously, told *The Guardian*:
*”We may soon have to ask the President to choose between us and his FCT minister if Wike continues to behave as though only he can defend the President’s political interests. Notably, he is not even a registered member of this party.”*
The warning follows Wike’s recent declaration that Governor Fubara will not secure a second term in the 2027 elections—a comment that has provoked anger from many APC loyalists in Rivers State.
Party strategists argue that permitting Wike—who is officially outside the APC—to dominate political discourse in Rivers could undermine President Tinubu’s broader interests ahead of the 2027 polls.
Former PDP National Vice Chairman (South-West), Eddy Olafeso, told *The Guardian* that Wike is now politically isolated as Fubara has moved swiftly to align with the APC, outpacing his former boss.
According to Olafeso, APC leadership has already signalled that Fubara, not Wike, will be recognized as the party’s leader in Rivers State. This has intensified calls among some party members for Wike’s removal as Minister of the FCT.
With the 2027 elections looming, the unfolding power struggle highlights the risks of internal divisions within the ruling party, as the APC grapples with consolidating its influence in critical states like Rivers.
