Tensions have erupted within the National Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following sharp exchanges between two top party officials over the comments directed at Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, on Sunday, condemned remarks by the party’s South-South National Vice Chairman, Hon. Victor Giadom, who described Fubara as a “so-called governor of Rivers State” during a thank-you visit to Gokana LGA of the State by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, last week.
Taking to his verified Facebook handle to react to Giadom’s outbursts against Fubara, Basiru described the language as “unbecoming” of a senior party officer and “disrespectful” to an elected state governor.
“I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC, who is the Vice Chairman of the South-South zone of the APC, was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so-called governor of Rivers State’,” Basiru said.
“No matter what his allegiances are to anybody, it is unbecoming of somebody holding such a sensitive position, and it should not be encouraged by anybody,” the APC national secretary added.
Basiru further stated that even if political differences exist, elected offices must be accorded due respect.
“Even if the governor is not in our party, you can’t refer to an elected governor as a ‘so-called governor’ in order to please anybody,” he said.
“The office of the governor is an exalted position, and whoever is occupying it must be respected, irrespective of whatever political differences you have or whatever animosity exists between them.”
His comments came days after Giadom, at Wike’s Thank-You Visit to the people of Gokana local government area last Tuesday, openly asserted that Governor Fubara would need to go through Nyesom Wike to achieve any political success in the state.
Giadom described the FCT Minister as a “dependable leader” and declared that Gokana LGA was firmly under Wike’s influence.
“I guarantee, on behalf of my brothers, that the Gokana people are for Wike and Tinubu and nobody will challenge Wike’s influence in Gokana,” Giadom said.
“Gokana is a ‘no-go area’ for anybody, even Governor Fubara. For him to win anything in Gokana, he must pass through Wike.”
Giadom’s remarks were echoed by several local APC leaders, including the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Dumle Maol, and Gokana local government area council chairman, Confidence Deko, both of whom pledged loyalty to Wike and President Bola Tinubu.
Responding during the event, Wike thanked the people of Gokana for their continued support and urged them to remain united.
He also reiterated that both APC and PDP members in Rivers State were working together under President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
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