Port Harcourt, Nigeria — Former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara is not “safe” politically after aligning with what he described as an illegitimate faction of the ruling party in the state.
Cole spoke during a recent interview on Channels Television, underscoring ongoing factional disputes within the APC in Rivers State and raising concerns about Fubara’s status within the party.
Cole said that while Fubara’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025 was a strategically “astute political move” that was welcomed at the national level, the governor’s choice of faction in the state was misplaced.
He argued that the group led by Tony Okocha, whose leaders presented Fubara with his APC membership card, lacks legal recognition under existing court rulings.
The former APC candidate maintained that the Emeka Beke-led executive committee remains the only legally recognised leadership of the party in Rivers State, citing a legal case that affirmed the faction’s position in court.
Cole said this legal foundation gives the Beke faction authority to formally admit and recognise party members in the state.
Cole questioned the legitimacy of Fubara’s membership within the state party structure, asking, “Who is welcoming him (Fubara) to the APC? Who is the one issuing him the membership card? Where is he registered under?”
He added that “Tony Okocha is not a legally recognised faction of the APC, and that is where the problem is.”
Although Cole acknowledged that Fubara enjoys recognition as an APC member at the national level, he stressed that such recognition does not override the legal requirements within Rivers State’s party structure.
“He should come. We will recognise and welcome him because we have the legal standing to do so,” Cole said, warning that “he is not safe where he is.”
Cole also cautioned the APC against a repeat of the 2019 Rivers election crisis, when internal disputes led to a court ruling barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the party’s candidates in the state.
He said ensuring adherence to legally recognised structures is essential to avoid future legal setbacks.
Fubara’s defection to the APC in December 2025 signalled a significant shift in Rivers State’s political landscape, coming amid prolonged tensions with his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The move was publicly welcomed by the APC national leadership, even as internal disputes over factional legitimacy persist.
The implications of Cole’s warning could extend into preparations for the 2027 elections, where internal party cohesion and legal recognition are likely to influence candidate positioning and electoral strategies.
As the Rivers APC continues to grapple with competing factional claims, the governor’s strategic alignment and legal status within the party will remain under scrutiny.
