The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has declared it will resist any attempt by external forces to destabilise the state government, as political tensions rise following renewed impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking on ARISE News on Thursday, Rivers State APC spokesperson Darlington Nwauju said the party would not support any action aimed at undermining the governor, stressing that Fubara is currently the leader of the APC in the state.
“For those who are in doubt of the resolve of the APC in Rivers State to ensure that the government of the day in Rivers is not destabilized, then let them take this to the bank, that we would not accept, we would not align, we would not also pander to the wishes of any external force anywhere that will attempt to destabilize the government of Rivers State,” Nwauju said.
He added that the party’s position was informed by the fact that Governor Fubara is now a senior figure within the APC. “This governor is not just a member of the All Progressive Congress, but as it stands today, is the leader of the All Progressive Congress in Rivers State,” he stated.
Addressing the impeachment process initiated by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Nwauju acknowledged the constitutional powers of lawmakers but argued that the current move was politically driven.
However, he insisted that the allegations being raised against the governor lacked genuine substance. “The seven or eight points that have been laid out there that the house members consider as impeachable offenses, to our mind, are politically motivated,” Nwauju said.
He further argued that politically driven disputes should be resolved within the political space. “Because they are politically motivated, we are saying that as a political party, we will be able to resolve issues that are in the realms of politics politically,” he added.
Nwauju also warned against attempts to overturn the mandate given to Governor Fubara by Rivers voters. “Reversing the decision of hundreds of thousands of Rivers people is not an easy decision. It is quite a tedious one. It is serious business,” he said.
He stressed that any impeachment process must strictly follow due process. “Because it is not a joke, it is something that must be followed procedurally,” Nwauju added.
On whether the impeachment move amounted to anti-party activity under the APC constitution, Nwauju said disagreements within the party should not automatically be labelled as such. “You cannot consider every political disagreement as an anti party activity,” he said. “It is still within the realms of political disagreement and it will be resolved as such.”
Nwauju also addressed questions about factional disputes within the Rivers APC, insisting that there is a legally recognised party leadership. He referenced court rulings nullifying previous actions against elected executives of the party and said, “There is a legally recognised executive of the party led by Emeka Beke.”
Clarifying the party’s support for Governor Fubara following his defection to the APC, Nwauju said the party constitution was clear on leadership. “The moment the governor of Rivers State consummated his membership of the All Progressive Congress, he automatically became the leader of our party. There are no ambiguities,” he said.
When asked about the role of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike in the unfolding crisis, Nwauju declined to comment, insisting his focus remained strictly on APC matters. “I speak for the All Progressive Congress. I do not speak for Minister Nyesom Wike,” he said.
He added, “My interest is the APC. My interest is that the APC turns itself into a winning machine in Rivers State and wins elections come 2027.”
Nwauju reiterated that he would not be drawn into discussing individuals outside the party. “I choose not to be forced into the realms of commenting about non APC members,” he said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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