Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara faces a stark political reality check after APC National Vice Chairman (South-South) Victor Giadom declared on December 30, 2025, that no success awaits him in Gokana Local Government Area or anywhere in Rivers without Nyesom Wike's blessing. Speaking at Wike's thank-you visit to Gokana amid thunderous cheers, Giadom branded the area a "no-go zone" for Fubara, insisting, "For him to win anything in Gokana, he must pass through Wike."
Giadom, flanked by Wike loyalists including Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol and Gokana Council Chairman Confidence Deko, hailed the FCT Minister as the undisputed kingmaker whose influence permeates Rivers politics. Maol and Deko pledged unbreakable community support for Wike, vowing to back him in all future battles, underscoring his post-governorship grip despite Fubara's recent APC defection.
Fubara's December 2025 jump from PDP to APC aimed to consolidate power amid 2023 election fallout that sparked assembly crises and a brief state of emergency. Yet Wike, who engineered Fubara's rise before their spectacular fallout, dismissed him as lacking grassroots structures, boasting that 22 council chairmen and majority assembly members defected under his watch. Wike reiterated his open Tinubu support, rejecting "corner-corner" accusations while claiming PDP's Rivers collapse into a "Renewed Hope family."
Giadom's salvo amplifies APC's internal maneuvering, positioning Wike as the party's de facto Rivers leader despite Fubara's gubernatorial perch. PDP fired back, labeling Wike their "number one APC supporter" justifying expulsion threats. As Kwankwaso faces similar defection pressures in Kano, Rivers remains Nigeria's fiercest political arena ahead of 2027 primaries.