What is playing out in Rivers State is no longer a personal feud—it is a struggle for institutional control of the APC ahead of 2027, and the signals from the party’s national leadership are unmistakable.
1. APC Has Chosen Its Sitting Governor
Despite Wike’s bravado, the APC hierarchy has effectively endorsed Siminalayi Fubara as its political anchor in Rivers State. Statements from:
the National Secretary (Ajibola Basiru),
the National Chairman (Nentawe Yilwatda), and
an unnamed but authoritative national APC official
all point in one direction:
👉 Incumbency + party loyalty = priority support.
In Nigerian party politics, this is decisive. Parties rarely sacrifice a sitting governor for a minister—no matter how influential.
2. Wike’s Power Is Now Informal, Not Institutional
Wike’s claim that he controls ward and local government structures reflects legacy influence, not current party authority.
Key reality check:
He is not a member of the APC.
He holds no statutory position within the party.
He cannot determine primaries, tickets, or consensus outcomes.
The APC official’s blunt remark—that Rivers’ final political decision lies with the President, not Wike—is especially telling.
3. Fubara Is Being Mainstreamed Nationally
Fubara’s appointment to a key APC committee by President Tinubu is not symbolic. It is a classic sign of:
acceptance,
protection, and
integration into the ruling party’s power structure.
Once a governor is plugged into national party machinery, it becomes politically costly to sideline him.
4. Automatic Ticket? Not Guaranteed—but the Odds Favour Him
The APC is publicly insisting on “no imposition”, but this is standard party language.
In practice:
Incumbent governors almost always emerge as consensus candidates.
Challengers are quietly neutralised through screening, pressure, or withdrawal.
Rivers is already being described internally as a near one-party APC state.
Unless there is a major national-level revolt against Fubara (which current signals contradict), his path to the ticket is clear.
5. Wike vs APC Reality
Wike’s strategy appears to rely on:
intimidation rhetoric,
media pressure, and
past political dominance.
But APC leadership has now drawn a clear boundary:
Ministers do not override governors.
Outsiders do not dictate party leadership.
Basiru’s rebuke of Victor Giadom also shows the NWC is closing ranks to protect Fubara’s legitimacy.
Bottom Line
APC has politically adopted Fubara.
Wike is increasingly isolated from formal party power.
2027 Rivers APC ticket strongly favours the incumbent governor.
The battle is no longer about noise—it’s about who controls party structures, and right now, that advantage sits with Fubara.
