Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, leads the party in the state.
Yilwatda spoke on Hard Copy, a programme on Channels Television.
He said the APC accords governors the privilege of leading the party at the state level, while urging them to respect inclusion and avoid disenfranchising other party members.
“You being the leader doesn’t mean that you now disenfranchise people who are within the state, so we give that room for inclusion,” he said.
Yilwatda added that his role as national chairman was to coordinate activities at the state level rather than dictate leadership choices.
Asked if Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, is the leader of the APC in the state, Yilwatda answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, but he will need to coordinate every other person in the state,” he said.
On whether he would support Fubara for a second term if the governor seeks re-election, Yilwatda said candidates would only emerge through party primaries.
“I’m not the person to choose people in the primary election; everybody undergoes primary election,” he said.
“If Siminalayi emerges as a candidate for APC in Rivers state, I’ll stand by him, but if any other person emerges as the candidate of APC in Rivers state, I’ll go with him.”
He said party support was based on candidates who emerge from primaries, not on individuals.
“When Sim picks a form, he is an aspirant. If he emerges as the candidate, I’ll support him; if he loses, I’ll sympathise with him and go with the person that wins the primary election,” he said.
Asked about the influence of Nyesom Wike in Rivers politics, Yilwatda declined to comment.
“I’m the chairman of APC, not chairman of all political parties in Nigeria,” he said.
