APC Declares Winner in Rivers Governorship Primary as Fubara Withdraws
- The APC finally declared its governorship candidate in Rivers following the conduct of its gubernatorial primary elections in the state
- Bitrus Kwamoti, the chairman of the APC governorship primary election committee, announced the winner of the primary at the party secretariat in Port Harcourt on Thursday, May 21
- The APC gubernatorial candidate emerged amid the political tension in the state, following the withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the race, a development that continued to generate condemnation
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced Kingsley Chinda as the winner of its governorship primary in Rivers to represent the party in the 2027 general elections.
Bitrus Kwamoti, the chairman of the APC governorship primary election committee and returning officer, declared Chinda the winner of the primary in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Thursday, May 21.
Source: Twitter
The Punch reported that Kwamoti announced the results at the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt after receiving the results of the primaries from collation officers in the 23 local government areas of the state.
Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, was the sole aspirant in the primary. He reportedly polled a total of 268, 497 votes in the primary.
The APC primary in Rivers has attracted attention amid a lingering political crisis in the state, and the influence of the allies of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), within the structure of the ruling party.
Nigerians react as Fubara withdraws from APC primary
However, the withdrawal of the governor from the primary has generated reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:
Bakatsine condemned the governor for not fighting:
"A whole sitting governor getting bullied out of a second term is actually crazy. At that point, can you even call him a politician anymore? Makes me wonder what Fubara was promised behind closed doors before joining APC, because politically this feels more like surrender than strategy."
Source: Twitter
Mmanua Pro compared the case of Governor Fubara to that of Godwin Obaseki in Edo:
"This is what could've been Obaseki's case, but the man stood on his ground and re-strategised and decamped to another party and eventually won the second term election. Power doesn't stay with weak people! Another Ambode in Rivers State. The concept of godfatherism is not stopping anytime soon in Nigeria. Only if he had the balls, he would have gone the "Obaseki way." Unfortunately, he's a weak man."
Dexter Sunny Ayodele said the governor had been technically defeated:
"Little political skit makers pushing Fubara have eventually thrown him under the bus. Loyalty in political arenas is a discipline that political children need to understand. I don't support greed, but Loyalty has never been ambiguous, particularly when you rode on it to grow."
Skood said that the governor was never a politician:
"Fubara was never a politician. This is what happens when people have no conviction to go into office but are offered the post. Four years of governance wasted on a power tussle. Rivers State was set back the most. Nyesom Wike will simply get another candidate to win the primary."
Read more comments on Governor Fubara stepping down on X below:
APC constitutes the presidential primary election committee
Legit.ng earlier reported that the APC announced the constitution of its presidential primary election committee just as it was rounding up with its governorship primaries.
Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate president between 2000 and 2003, also served as the SGF under former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, was appointed chairman of the committee.
Another former Senate president and ex-speaker of the House of Representatives were members of the committee, while Siminalayi Fubara and other APC governors were appointed state coordinators.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
