NDC vs APC: Governor Fubara's Brother Clarifies Placeholder Saga
- Blessing Fubara has denied reports of being a placeholder for his brother, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in the NDC
- Recall that Fubara's withdrawal from the APC primaries sparked diverse reactions from Nigerians regarding his political stance
- Political observers have drawn parallels between Fubara's situation and Godwin Obaseki's political resilience in Edo state
The governorship candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 general election, Blessing Fubara (Snr), has clarified that he does not share the same political ideology with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, despite being his brother.
The Rivers NDC guber candidate also clarified that he is not serving as a placeholder for his brother in the party.
Source: Twitter
This is coming amid the withdrawal of Fubara from the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries as a result of what his loyalists described as a rift between the governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The Punch reported that there have been speculations that the senior Fubara was only serving as a placeholder for the sitting governor, ahead of his defection from the APC to the NDC.
But speaking in an interview on Super FM 93.3 in Port Harcourt, on Saturday, May 23, Blessing Fubara denied the rumour that he could be a placeholder for Governor Fubara, adding that the people of the state are familiar with his track record in politics.
He added that his declaration for the 2027 governorship race did not have anything to do with the withdrawal of Governor Frubara from the APC primaries, adding that he had been nurturing the ambition to change the political narrative.
Nigerians react as Fubara withdraws from APC primary
However, the withdrawal of Governor Fubara from the APC governorship 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 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 James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
