Rivers APC Chieftain Defends Party Integrity, Backs National Secretary

 His remark came after Basiru stated that Nyesom Wike lacks the authority to interfere in the activities of the APC in Rivers State.

Darlington Nwauju, a Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, has aligned with the party's National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, saying that non-members have no right to engage in internal party issues.

Nwauju claimed this on Tuesday while presenting on Channels Television's breakfast show, The Morning Brief, claiming that recent developments had validated his party's stance.

According to him, Basiru, who he characterized as being in a position to speak authoritatively on party policy, had stated unequivocally that non-APC members should not influence how the party is administered in Rivers State.

Today, I am relieved that our stance has been justified by our National Secretary's very clear statement that non-members of our political party have no business telling us how the party should be administered in Rivers State, Nwauju stated.

He stated that his section completely supports the view made by the National Secretary, describing it as the correct posture for the party at both the state and national levels.

Nwauju contended that the APC now had a sitting governor in Rivers State and that, under the party's constitution and long-standing practice, the governor immediately becomes the party's head in the state.

According to him, it would be unacceptable for a non-APC member to try to influence how the party interacts with its governor or conducts its internal affairs. He stated that such actions violate established party practice and damage internal cohesion. 

APC now has a serving governor in our midst, and by the force of our own convention; by our own practice as APC throughout Nigeria, the governor is automatically elected as the party's head in Rivers State.

So, a non-APC member cannot dictate to the APC how to approach or interact with our governor, who is a member of the political party.

Nwauju is certain that the APC National Working Committee will adopt Basiru's position on Rivers State.

His comments came after Basiru stated that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, does not have the authority to interfere in the affairs of the APC in Rivers State.

According to the APC scribe, the former Rivers State governor is not an APC member and hence lacks the "locus" to interfere in the ruling party's internal affairs.

Wike has, however, cautioned him to remain out of Rivers State politics.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC last year, only weeks after his suspension as governor of Rivers State expired.

Wike, a PDP member, works in President Bola Tinubu's government. His relationship with Fubara, whom he supported to become governor, has deteriorated in recent months.