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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has officially withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries scheduled for Thursday in the state.
Fubara announced his decision in a personally signed statement issued Wednesday night, saying he would support whoever emerges as the party’s governorship candidate. Multiple national media platforms confirmed the development on Wednesday evening.
According to him, the decision followed “deep reflection and extensive consultations” with family, political associates and supporters, adding that the move was made in the interest of peace, unity and stability in Rivers State.
The withdrawal marks another dramatic twist in the prolonged political crisis that has defined Fubara’s tenure since he assumed office in May 2023.
Fubara came to power under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the political protégé of former Rivers governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. However, only months after taking office, the relationship between both men collapsed, triggering one of the fiercest political battles in Rivers State history.
The crisis soon engulfed the Rivers State House of Assembly, where lawmakers loyal to Wike and those backing Fubara split into rival factions. The Assembly complex was eventually engulfed by fire amid the power struggle, while impeachment threats against the governor intensified.
At the peak of the crisis, lawmakers loyal to Wike, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, pushed moves to impeach the governor, while another faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo declared support for Fubara. The political standoff paralysed governance in the oil-rich state for months and sparked protests across parts of Rivers.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu later intervened in the dispute in late 2023, hosting reconciliation meetings in Abuja in an effort to broker peace between the warring camps. Despite the intervention, tensions persisted, with court battles and political realignments continuing through 2024 and 2025.
The crisis escalated further in March 2025 when Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing prolonged political instability and governance paralysis. Fubara, his deputy and members of the state assembly were suspended for six months, while retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed sole administrator of the state.
Following his eventual reinstatement, Fubara dumped the PDP for the APC in December 2025 a move seen as part of political negotiations aimed at stabilising Rivers politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
His latest withdrawal from the APC governorship race has now fuelled fresh speculation over internal party arrangements and possible consensus moves within the Rivers APC ahead of Thursday’s primaries.
The development comes amid reports that some of Fubara’s loyalists were recently disqualified from contesting APC primaries, while several figures aligned with Wike were cleared by the party’s screening panel.