The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday dismissed claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has become the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, following the governor’s recent defection to the ruling party.

Wike also said that the recent defection of Fubara from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) came too late and without any political structure to strengthen his new party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike, who spoke at a media parley with journalists in Port Harcourt, explained that party leadership is determined by operational structure at the ward level and not by political office.

“Every member registers only in his ward, and that party authority flows from that structure.

“There is nothing like 001 in the state. You register in your ward, and your local government is in your ward. Everybody registers in his own ward. You could be the first person to register, but not in the sense that by becoming governor you automatically become leader of the party,” Wike stated.

He acknowledged that, in principle, governors often lead their parties in their states but insisted that leadership is not conferred by office alone. “Leadership is not because I am a governor. You must have something that makes you a leader,” he added.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, told Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, “Supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not guarantee you a return ticket for the 2027 governorship election.”

Wike made the remark at the weekend during a visit to Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Wike and Fubara have been locked in a fierce struggle for political control in the state, a conflict that plunged Rivers into a prolonged crisis.

The standoff culminated in the burning of the State House of Assembly complex and, later, the declaration of a state of emergency in the state by President Tinubu.

The crisis also led to the reported defection of 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers loyal to Wike to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that sparked several court cases…

Earlier this month, Governor Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He later announced his defection at a meeting with government officials at the Government House in Port Harcourt, pledging his support for the President. Fubara’s defection came days after some members of the state assembly had joined the APC.

Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will commence the electronic registration and revalidation of its members across 20 local government areas in the State.

The Chairman of the Lagos APC, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, disclosed that the exercises will be held between January 5 and 28, 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s structure ahead of future elections.

He said that the exercise which would be followed by congresses across the state is designed to create a credible, comprehensive, and verifiable database of party members across the state.

” The e-registration will cover both existing members, who are expected to undergo revalidation, and new members who wish to join the party. The exercise will be conducted simultaneously in all 245 wards of the state,” said Ojelabi.