Friday, January 23, 2026 —Dalena Reporters
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State and that former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has no standing within the party.
Bwala made the clarification on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, amid the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State that has seen impeachment proceedings initiated against Governor Fubara by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“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 the APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” Bwala said, according to the report.
Bwala emphasised that while Wike may still hold influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a former governor, he does not have authority within the APC in Rivers State.
“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 added.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu is committed to the rule of law and respects internal party processes, noting that the President supports the position taken by the APC leadership on the Rivers situation.
Addressing the impeachment attempts against Governor Fubara, Bwala said the party’s stance is clear and that the governor must be “allowed to govern without interference.”
“There have been orders of the court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” he said.
Bwala also clarified that Wike’s position in government should not be confused with party membership, describing the FCT Minister as serving the federal government rather than the APC as a political party.
He dismissed claims that Wike enjoys undue influence within the administration, saying that President Tinubu rewards 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. He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right,” Bwala said.
Bwala’s remarks come as Governor Fubara continues to face impeachment proceedings and as political tensions between him and Wike who has served in the federal cabinet remain at the forefront of Rivers State’s political discourse.