The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has expressed its readiness to work with Governor Siminalayi Fubara when he returns to office on September 18, 2025, at the end of the six-month emergency rule imposed in the state.
The party’s position was made known by its State Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on the outcome of the just-concluded local government elections. The APC secured victory in 20 of the 23 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party won in three.
President Bola Tinubu had on March 18, 2025, suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaehwule, citing security concerns and declaring a six-month emergency rule. Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was subsequently appointed as Sole Administrator of the state.
Okocha said: “September 18 will mark exactly six months since the suspension of the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. As the six months elapses, the Governor is expected to return to office. So, we will work with him. The State Assembly will cooperate with the governor, but if he deviates or delves into obnoxious acts, we will criticize and call him to order.”
The APC chairman thanked residents of Rivers State, the party’s national leadership, and President Tinubu for their support during the local government elections, commending security agencies for ensuring a peaceful process. He noted that the party’s strong performance was a pointer to the 2027 general elections, assuring that the APC under his leadership would intensify efforts to deliver a resounding victory for President Tinubu’s anticipated second-term bid.
“The results of the just concluded Local Government Elections is an indication of what will happen in 2027. What we have done is that we have just tested the waters to see our strengths in the state and it’s proven beyond reasonable doubt that we are very strong. So it is a prelude to what will happen in 2027, and I told you that whilst we were campaigning, we told our people that there was a need for us to belong to the center and leave the peripheries and they agreed. Like one leader in this country said, at some point he had no shoes, in 2023 APC Rivers had no shoes, now we are wearing shakadele, so what do you expect, we are going to double and be re-doubling this number for Mr President who as far as my party is concerned, will be fielding for a second term in office.”
He declared that the APC had returned to the political forefront in the state, stressing that winning 20 of 23 councils was a significant feat. He also attributed the success to the amalgamation of various political groups under the renewed hope family.
Okocha further called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and suspended PDP lawmakers in Rivers to defect to the APC. He argued that the PDP was in crisis and urged those with political ambitions to avoid aligning with a party whose internal wrangling could jeopardize their chances.
He said: “The time is ripe, we will continue to beckon on them (lawmakers) to join the APC, not even them alone, but we will continue to beckon on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike to come over to APC and have peace, PDP is in tatters. I was reading a post this morning, there was a meeting of critical stakeholders of PDP, they met yesterday and came up with a communique which is in contrast with the idea of the PDP, vis-a-vis their national convention, they read six demands and said until those demands are met they will meet themselves in court. And if you are a member of that political party that has no future or whose future is bleak and you want to aspire to an office, will you want to go and put yourself in such a dilemma? Because the man who signs your nomination forms and all that, the moment the court says he wasn’t qualified to sign, it means that you have also lost the election. So we’ll continue making overtures, we’ll continue our pleas, if you ask me our intention is to make Rivers State 100 per cent APC, so for those that matter politically who are still on the other side, we will beckon on them to come to Mr President’s party in Rivers State.”
