The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has expressed its willingness to work with Governor Siminalayi Fubara when he is reinstated on September 18, but with a firm promise to hold him accountable on governance issues.
The state APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, gave the assurance during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, noting that collaboration with the governor would not weaken the opposition’s watchdog role.
He said, “The governor who was suspended will return to office on September 18. The APC will work with him when he returns.
“There are states where the governor and assembly members are in different parties, so we are going to work with him.
“However, that will not take away our right to criticise him when he does wrong. But for us, the LG chairmen will work with him, except that we will not agree to vicious policies.”
Okocha described the just-concluded local government elections as a prelude to the 2027 general polls, explaining that the APC deliberately avoided PDP strongholds to focus on areas where it had a comparative edge.
“The Rivers State LG election is a prelude to what will happen in 2027.
“Whilst we were campaigning, I told our people that there is a need for us to believe in the centre and leave the periphery.
“We did not field candidates in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs because we do not have the strength in those areas.
“It was our own calculated strategy not to field candidates in those LGAs and concentrate only where we have a comparative advantage. Remember that Rivers State was a PDP state,” Okocha explained.
Looking ahead, the APC chairman projected stronger influence for the party, comparing its struggles in the 2023 elections to its current momentum.
“In 2023, APC in Rivers State had no shoes. Now we are wearing psychedelic shoes.
“We are going to double and redouble our membership for the President. As far as my party is concerned, we will be fielding him for a second term in 2027,” he said.
He also mocked the PDP, claiming it was collapsing under pressure as members defect in large numbers to the APC.
He stressed, “PDP is in tatters and people are leaving them in droves for other parties, and we’re privileged to have them.
“We’ll continue our pleas for the PDP members, particularly the FCT Minister, to come over to the APC and have peace. The PDP is in tatters.”
Fubara was suspended on March 18 after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following rising political unrest and militant attacks on oil facilities.
Tinubu accused the governor of failing to contain the threats and appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), as interim Administrator for six months.
With last Saturday’s local government elections concluded, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike told journalists that the “coast” was now clear for Fubara’s reinstatement.
