The Emeka Bekee led All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has declared Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the party in the state, insisting that the position is clearly stated in the party’s constitution.
Bekee made the assertion on Wednesday, while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, amid ongoing political tensions involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to him, once a sitting governor joins the APC, he automatically becomes the leader of the party in his state, stressing that the position is not subject to debate.
He said Governor Fubara, having joined the APC, is the party’s number one member in Rivers State.
He further explained that leadership positions within the APC follow a clear hierarchy, noting that President Bola Tinubu is the leader of the party at the national level, while governors who are party members lead the APC in their respective states.
He said: “First and foremost, as soon as the governor joins the party, he becomes a leader of the party. That is no contest. You have heard the national chairman. You have heard the national secretary say it loud and clear, the governor is leader of the party in the state. Because he has joined the party he’s is 001 of the APC River State. If by divine grace of God, tomorrow, the Minister of FCT decides to join APC, he’s the leader in his own capacity as a member of All Progressives Congress.
But right now, he’s not a leader. He’s not a member of APC. He still remains, he has said it loud and clear, he still remain member of PDP.
“According to the constitution of the APC, when a sitting governor is a member of the party, he or she automatically becomes the leader of the party in the state. There is no contesting the fact that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the current leader of the APC.
“When it comes to APC, the governor is the leader of the party. Nobody is contesting that at all. Mr President is the leader of the party in Nigeria. Nobody is contesting that at all with him. The national chairman is not contesting that position with the president. The governor of is the leader of the party in the state, and as long as the Governor of Rivers State has joined APC, he’s the leader of the party in Rivers state.
“Yes, I wasn’t part of the discussion they had in Abuja. I don’t know what discussion is all about, but I think along the line, the FCT minister was the one that nominated all the local government chairmen in the state. There’s nothing wrong if he goes around to go and see those people that, you know, he worked with to produce them as local men, to thank them. I think that is what he’s doing. And I can say loud and clear, most of them are not members of APC. They are from PDP. They just jump into the party together. But I don’t want to discuss that fact.
“The true position where we are is that the Governor of the River State is the leader of the party in Rivers state. Nobody’s contesting that with him.”