President Bola Tinubu is facing criticism from within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over allegations that he has effectively handed control of the party’s political structure in Rivers State to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in a strategic move linked to the 2027 general elections.
Party stakeholders and political observers have expressed concern that the president’s apparent alliance with Wike—a former governor and chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—is undermining the efforts of long-standing APC members in the oil-rich state.
Critics argue that Wike’s growing influence over the state’s political machinery, despite not formally defecting to the APC, raises questions about the future of internal party democracy and the fate of loyal APC figures in Rivers.
“This is not a merger, it’s a takeover,” a party source said, warning that the move could alienate grassroots supporters ahead of 2027. “The structure in Rivers is being sacrificed for a personal agenda.”
The Presidency has yet to respond to the allegations, but the development has sparked debates about power-sharing, regional balance, and loyalty within the ruling party as it positions itself for the next electoral cycle.
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