APC Members Blame South-East Counterparts for Rift Between Party, Wike
APC Members Blame South-East Counterparts for Rift Between Party, Wike
All Progressive Congress (APC) is facing some internal crisis as seen, some party members pointing fingers at their colleagues from the South-East, accusing them of orchestrating a rift between the party and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The tension centers on the struggle for political control of Rivers State, especially following the recent defection of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the APC.
The internal friction has been linked to allegations that South-Eastern leaders within the APC specifically those close to the party’s central leadership are deliberately fueling the fire.
Supporters of Wike suggest that these members are leveraging the Fubara-Wike feud to “cut the Minister to size.”
Reports have identified Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as a key figure in this dynamic. He is alleged to have “plotted a coup” by facilitating Fubara’s entry into the APC, effectively granting the Governor the title of “Party Leader” in Rivers State and displacing Wike’s long-standing influence.
The conflict reached a boiling point after the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, publicly rebuked Wike, asking him to resign from the cabinet and stop interfering in APC matters since he is not a registered member.
Wike responded with characteristic defiance during a “Thank You” tour in Rivers State, warning:
He told the APC leadership to stay out of Rivers State or risk “burning their hands.”
He accused some party leaders of eyeing a ₦600 billion “largesse” within the Rivers State treasury as their motivation for supporting Governor Fubara.
Despite the APC’s stance, Wike maintains that his support for President Bola Tinubu is “total,” even as he technically remains a member of the PDP (though recently expelled by a faction of the party).
The dispute has split the APC National Working Committee (NWC). While National Secretary Basiru has taken a hardline stance against Wike, the South-South National Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom, has openly defended the Minister.
Giadom recently referred to Fubara as a “so-called governor” and insisted that any political victory in Rivers must “pass through Wike.”
This internal blame game highlights a strategic battle for 2027. By siding with Fubara, the South-East bloc and the national leadership appear to be prioritizing the constitutional power of a sitting governor over the grassroots “godfatherism” of the FCT Minister.
As the APC and Nyesom Wike continue their public exchange of threats, the party faces a critical choice: maintain a partnership with a powerful non-member or consolidate power around their newly defected Governor.
