‘I’ve Faced Immense Pressure And Difficult Choices’ — Fubara Withdraws From Rivers APC Gov’nship Primary 

 

‘I’ve Faced Immense Pressure And Difficult Choices’ — Fubara Withdraws From Rivers APC Gov’nrship Primary

 

By Akanni Toba

 

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has announced his withdrawal from the  All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election in the oil-rich state.

 

 

Fubara described his action as a “difficult but necessary decision” that he made after “deep and and extensive consultations with my family, friends and associates”

 

The Rivers’ helmsman decision was contained in a statement released on Wednesday night which was personally signed by him.

 

 

“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC gubernatorial primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party.

 

“Leadership is ultimately about sacrifice. There comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people. Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest.” the statement read in part.

 

While expressing appreciation to his supporters for their loyalty, prayers and sacrifices throughout the political process, acknowledging that many would feel disappointed by his withdrawal, Fubara revealed that he was hard-pressed to take the path of withdrawal saying, “Some truths are best borne quietly, not out of fear, but out of wisdom and restraint for the sake of peace and a greater purpose. It is enough to say that I have faced immense pressures and difficult choices, but my love for Rivers State remains greater than anything else.”

 

 

According to him, leadership demands sacrifice and personal ambition must sometimes give way to the collective interest of the people.

 

 

“Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest,” he said.

 

He added that his silence  over this period was “deliberate and strategic, guided always by the higher interest of our state and our people” stressing that he stepped down “not out of weakness, fear, or surrender, but out of conviction and sacrifice so that Rivers State may move forward in peace and unity”

 

 

Fubara thanked the APC leadership for the opportunity given to him during the process and also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support and encouragement.

 

 

He urged party faithful to remain united and committed to the APC, describing the party as their “collective home.”

 

The development comes amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections in Rivers State.

 

 

Peoplestemplate has reported how lawmakers in the state assembly who are Fubara’s loyalists were disqualified for the APC primary while those of his estranged political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, were cleared for the exercise

 

The rift  between Fubara and his predecessor in office, Wike, was triggered by tussle over the state’s political structure, appointments and finances, shortly after the latter assumed office.

 

However, the main battleground for the power struggle was the Rivers House of Assembly which was deeply polarised into pro-Wike and pro-Fubara with the anti-Fubara group led by Martin Amaewhule, who is a factional speaker and Wike’s loyalist.

 

 

The crisis escalated when 27 lawmakers attempted moves seen as targeting Fubara, while the governor’s camp questioned their legitimacy after alleged defections.

 

The Assembly complex was later demolished and governance became paralysed as both camps traded court actions and political attacks.

 

In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy and all lawmakers for six months, citing political instability and threats to governance and oil infrastructure.

 

During the suspension, retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed sole administrator.

 

Fubara was later reinstated after political negotiations reportedly brokered by Tinubu, with conditions said to include working with the Amaewhule-led Assembly, maintaining peace with Wike’s camp and shelving immediate political confrontation ahead of 2027, although some reported terms — including speculation about reelection concessions — remained unofficial.