Governor Siminalayi Fubara has effectively lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Rivers State after withdrawing from the party’s primary election, leaving loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Kingsley Chinda, as the sole aspirant.
Fubara announced his withdrawal from the APC governorship primaries in a personally signed statement, saying the decision was taken after consultations with associates and in the interest of peace, unity and stability in Rivers State.
The development followed months of intense political tension within the Rivers APC, fuelled by the prolonged power struggle between Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Wike.
Before the withdrawal, Chinda, who is regarded as a close ally of Wike and currently serves as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, had been cleared by the APC screening committee to contest the governorship primary alongside Fubara and other aspirants.
However, former APC governorship candidate Tonye Cole and ex-Commissioner for Works, Dakorinama George-Kelly, also stepped down from the race, leaving Chinda as the consensus contender for the party’s ticket.
Fubara maintained that his decision should not be interpreted as weakness or surrender but as a sacrifice aimed at preserving peace in the state. He also pledged support for whoever emerges as the APC candidate.
The Rivers political crisis, which began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, has continued to reshape alliances within the state’s political structure, despite several reconciliation efforts reportedly brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
