Why APC Has Not Welcomed Fubara — Chairman’s Honest Explanation

By: Abudu Olalekan

Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, sat there on TVC last Sunday. Looked tired. Maybe annoyed. Definitely not in the mood for games.

“Why hasn’t APC officially welcomed Siminalayi Fubara?” someone asked.

He sighed. Leaned back.

“It’s strategy. Plain and simple.”

Short answer. But the story? Longer. Messier.

See, Fubara—governor of Rivers State—just jumped ship. Left the Peoples Democratic Party. Landed in APC. December 9, 2025. Cold, calculated move. Everyone knew why. Second term ambitions. 2027 looming. Patch things up after that ugly fallout with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Yeah, that Wike.

But here’s the kicker. APC hasn’t rolled out the red carpet. No grand event. No “Welcome aboard!” speeches. Nothing.

Why?

“Ramadan,” Yilwatda said. Just like that.

Wait. What?

He explained. Northern states first. Always. “We’ve got Kano coming up. You know? Politics isn’t just… announcements. It’s timing. Feelings. Sensitivities.” He tapped the table. “Most northerners? Muslims. Ramadan’s around the corner. You think we’ll drag people to some rally while they’re fasting? Bad look.”

So they paused. Prioritized. Southern states? “No such issues,” he shrugged. “Easier there. But north? We clear them first. Fubara waits. That’s it.”

Someone hinted: Maybe he’s not strong enough? Maybe Rivers APC doesn’t see him as leader?

Yilwatda cut in. Sharp.

“Who said that? Show me one complaint. One petition. Anyone?”

Silence.

“Exactly. Media loves to invent drama. Somebody whispers ‘Fubara can’t control his party,’ and suddenly it’s headline? Please.” He leaned forward. “If nobody within the party cries? If no formal grievance lands on my desk? Then why act like it’s truth? Media becomes judge. Jury. Executioner. All at once.”

Fair point. But then… Wike.

Ah, Wike. The FCT Minister. Still kingmaker in Rivers, even after Fubara dumped his old party. Even though he’s not APC.

Wike recently said local politicians in Rivers should unite under President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda. Sounds noble. Unity! Hope!

But Yilwatda waved it off. “Support groups? Not our business. They’re not APC. Not officially.” He smiled, thin. “If it’s not under my office? Doesn’t count. Simple.”

And that’s where things get sticky.

Rivers has been a tinderbox. Long before Fubara switched sides. Him and Wike? Used to be allies. Then 2023. Power struggle. Ugly. President Tinubu even declared a six-month state of emergency there. Things got that bad.

Now? Fubara’s in APC. But Wike? Still holds influence. Grassroots level. Party structures. His loyalists? Still sitting in key spots. They don’t recognize Fubara as their leader just ’cause he defected. “Leadership isn’t a title,” one Wike ally apparently said. “It’s control. And we still got that.”

Result? Chaos.

Impeachment threats. Backroom deals. Two factions—APC and PDP—in Rivers basically at war. Everyone positioning for 2027. Every move calculated.

Fubara’s defection was supposed to calm things. Bring stability. Or so some thought.

Haha.

Instead? More questions. More doubt.

People ask: If APC won’t welcome him publicly, does he even have real power?

Yilwatda’s answer? “It’s not about authority. It’s about order.” He repeated it. Like he needed to convince himself. “We don’t do things randomly. We plan. We respect timelines. Respect culture. That’s all.”

But let’s be real. Politics isn’t just culture. It’s optics. And right now? The optics aren’t great. Looks like APC’s keeping Fubara at arm’s length. Like they’re not fully trusting him. Or maybe waiting for something.

Maybe Wike’s next move.

Or maybe pressure from Tinubu’s camp. Who knows?

What’s clear? Fubara’s not celebrating. He’s waiting. Biding time.

Reportersroom caught bits of this last night. URL? reportersroom.com/apc-fubara. Short. No fluff.

You wanna understand Nigerian politics? Here’s the lesson. Nothing’s straightforward. Ever.

It’s not just parties. It’s personalities. Ego. Timing. Religion. Region.

Ramadan delays a governor’s welcome? Yep.

Media accusations without proof? Yep.

A predecessor still pulling strings behind the scenes? Double yep.

And the man in the middle? Fubara. Quiet. Watching. Playing the long game.

Maybe that’s the real strategy. Not the chairman’s. His.

Sit back. Let them debate. Let them speculate. When the time’s right? He’ll step forward.

Till then? Welcome or no welcome. He’s already here.

In the party. In the race. In the storm.

Just… not on their schedule.

And honestly? That might be the smartest move of all.