As tension continue to rise in the political landscape of Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, appears to have clipped the wings of the Minister of the federal capital territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike and his allies.
The latest political maneurvering, indeed has offered what seems to be another political lifeline to the embattled governor Sim Fubara.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike have been at war in the last two years over the political soul of the State. The face-off led to several failed attempts to impeach Fubara by the State House of Assembly lawmakers loyal to Mr. Wike.
This however, forced President Bola Tinubu to declare State of emergency in the State and appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Sole Administrator. Ibas took over from governor Fubara who was subsequently suspended for six months.
Though, despite concerted efforts by President Bola Tinubu to broker a truce between Fubara and Wike, peace has perennially eluded the two political buffalos.
Concomitantly, following the defection of governor Fubara to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and efforts by some APC political sharks, who sees Wike’s overbearing attitude as a threat in the party, the political equation in Rivers State is about to be turned in favour of Mr. Fubara.
On April 23, 2026, when President Bola Tinubu sat with the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and ceded his primary executive authority to governors for the tickets, governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, was sitting in that room as PGF chairman. The most powerful collective bloc in APC, which this medium understand, is aligned with Fubara.
President Tinubu during the meeting, went further by directing that Uzodimma’s screening committee accept only Fubara endorsed candidates in Rivers State in what has been described as political masterstroke.
In what is now clear to be a political uppercut to Wike, Tinubu further converted the PGF to Fubara’s political shield and institutional gatekeeper. This means that, if Fubara’s name and signature is not appended in any form, it will not pass screening exercise. Those Assembly members who fought Fubara are now in the red corner.
DDM understand that these lawmakers are now seriously begging for APC tickets.
The 27 Assembly members who defected to APC in December 2025, promising themselves automatic tickets, have been patiently waiting for the green light but to no avail.
These are men who served Mr. Fubara three impeachment notices. They viciously signed documents aimed at removing him from Government House. They defected to the APC expecting Wike’s connections to deliver their tickets inside a party whose leader is the man they tried to disgrace out of power.
Though, all their cancerous behaviour points to one direction—no ticket.
Wike and his allies not in the good book of Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Now, to get through Uzodimma’s screening committee, these lawmakers must be on Fubara’s list and to be on Fubara’s list, they must go to the Government House to meet the same man they served impeachment notices to beg and ask for his political blessing which might not come easily or will never come.
It is also paramount to note that this has a negative effect to Wike’s anointing declaration.
He said: “Without his anointing, you are contesting in vain.” But it is now obvious that the screening committee will not be asking for Wike’s anointing. This time, the committee will be asking for Fubara’s endorsement. If one’s name is not on Fubara’s list, the committee chaired by the man Wike cannot neutralize will not pass through. The committee whose screening mandate has been directed by the President himself.
The screening committee now has a directive: Fubara’s list is the list. Anything else will not pass. This means Wike’s governorship candidate Chinda, who is edging toward a PDP platform precisely because the APC door is being systematically closed, cannot get an APC governorship ticket without Fubara’s endorsement. His Senate candidates cannot get through without Fubara’s endorsement. His assembly candidates cannot get through without Fubara’s endorsement.
Governor Fubara, being the man Wike dismissed as needing his anointing to contest is now, the man whose endorsement determines whether anyone could contests at all on the APC platform in Rivers State.
Every political calculation in Rivers State leading into 2027, present Uzodinma as a barrier to the invasion of corrosive politics.
The man who blocked Wike’s influence at the Governors’ forum is now the man who controls who gets through the APC screening in Rivers State. That is not just political backing — it’s the formalization of structural power shift through a presidential directive executed by one man Wike cannot reach, buy or talk down on.
Kalu Nwokoro Idika is a writer and investigative journalist with Diaspora Digital Media.
