RIIVERS State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries, citing the need for peace, stability and unity in the state.
Fubara announced his withdrawal in a statement personally signed on Wednesday, May 20, and titled “My decision to withdraw from the Rivers State Gubernatorial Primaries.”
Fubara said the decision followed “deep reflection and extensive consultations” with family members, friends and associates.
“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC gubernatorial primaries,” he said.
The governor added, “I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party.”
The development came days after dozens of aspirants believed to be loyal to the governor were screened out of the APC National Assembly and state House of Assembly primaries in Rivers State.
The ICIR reported on May 11 that 65 aspirants linked to Fubara, including former factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko Jumbo, were disqualified from participating in the party’s state assembly primaries.
According to the report, many of the affected aspirants were considered allies of Fubara, while aspirants loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were cleared by the screening committee.
A total of 98 aspirants reportedly purchased nomination forms and appeared before the screening panel, but only 33 were eventually cleared to contest.
Among those denied clearance was Chijioke Ihunwo, a former chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and a known ally of Fubara.
The report also noted that Fubara had appeared before the APC screening exercise in Abuja but left the venue hurriedly without addressing journalists, replying “No comment” when questioned about the political situation in his state.
Meanwhile, providing more reasons for his withdrawal, Fubara further noted that the leadership demanded sacrifice and that personal ambition should not override the collective interest of the state.
“Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest,” he stated.
The governor also acknowledged the disappointment his supporters might feel, thanking them for their loyalty and sacrifices.
He further hinted at political pressure surrounding the crisis in the state, saying he had faced “immense pressures and difficult choices.”
“As our elders say, not everything a hunter sees in the forest is spoken of in the marketplace,” he added.
He went further, “Some truths are best borne quietly, not out of fear, but out of wisdom and restraint for the sake of peace and a greater purpose.”
The Rivers political crisis has persisted since Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Wike, over the control of the state’s political structure shortly after assuming office in 2023 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The crisis led to a split in the Rivers State House of Assembly and prolonged political instability in the oil-rich state.
Fubara later defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025 amid efforts to resolve the standoff.
In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Fubara alongside members of the state House of Assembly before restoring them six months later.
In his statement, Fubara thanked the APC leadership and Tinubu for their support and encouragement throughout the process.
He urged party members to remain united, insisting that his withdrawal should not be seen as an act of weakness or surrender.
“Let it be clearly understood that I stepped aside from participating in the upcoming Rivers State governorship election not out of weakness, fear, or surrender, but out of conviction and sacrifice so that Rivers State may move forward in peace and unity,” he said.
Fubara added that he remained committed to serving the people of Rivers State until the end of his tenure.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M