The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has formally recognised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as the leader of the party in the state.

Yilwatda also assured that the party’s national leadership would support Fubara’s second-term ambition, provided he emerges as the APC candidate through the party’s primary election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, monitored by our correspondent, the APC chairman said Governor Fubara holds the leadership position in Rivers State but must work in collaboration with other stakeholders within the party.

“Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State, but he would need to coordinate with every other person in the state,” Yilwatda said.

His remarks come amid renewed political tension between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over control of the political structure in Rivers State.

Following his defection to the APC in December, Fubara had declared himself the party’s leader in the state after receiving a membership card bearing the number 001. However, Wike rejected the claim, insisting that he controls the political structure in Rivers, citing the alliance between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in support of President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated 2027 re-election bid.

Clarifying the party’s position ahead of the governorship primaries, Yilwatda stressed that the APC leadership would remain neutral during the selection process.

“I don’t choose who to support in the state’s primary election. If Fubara emerges as the APC candidate, I’ll support him,” he said.

“If he loses the primary, I’ll sympathise with him and go with the person who wins the primary election.”