Stop Destabilising APC or Resign From Tinubu's Government - Basiru Warns Wike

... As Party Tensions Boil Over, APC National Secretary Demands Wike's Exit - But What Really Triggered the War?

A deepening political crisis is rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following a dramatic public confrontation between the party's National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike - a clash that has now escalated into open calls for Wike's resignation from President Bola Tinubu's cabinet.

The controversy, which has sent shockwaves through APC ranks nationwide, revolves around Rivers State politics, party supremacy, and allegations of internal destabilisation.

In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja, Basiru accused Wike of interfering in APC affairs without being a registered member of the party, insisting that such conduct is incompatible with holding a strategic ministerial position under an APC-led federal government.

According to Basiru, Wike's public attacks on APC leaders and his warnings to party officials to stay away from Rivers State crossed a red line and raised serious questions about loyalty, party discipline, and respect for internal structures.

Basiru maintained that his earlier comments - stressing that sitting governors must be respected as leaders of the party in their states - were misrepresented and unjustly attacked by Wike, whom he described as deploying intimidation and political threats rather than engaging in constructive dialogue.

The APC National Secretary further argued that Wike's continued presence in the Federal Executive Council while allegedly sowing discord within the ruling party amounts to a contradiction that must be resolved.

"He cannot sit in the cabinet of an APC government and simultaneously use the influence of that office to cause confusion within the party,ÔÇØ Basiru stated, adding that "the honourable thing to do is to resign.ÔÇØ

The dispute escalated after Wike, during a public outing in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, warned Basiru and other APC leaders to "leave Rivers State alone,ÔÇØ declaring the state a political no-go area.

Wike alleged that some political actors were exploiting reports of over 600 billion in Rivers State coffers to meddle recklessly in state affairs, warning that such actions could have serious consequences.

His remarks were widely interpreted as a direct challenge to the APC national leadership and a signal that Rivers politics remains firmly under his influence, despite the state being governed by his estranged political ally, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Basiru fired back, dismissing claims of financial inducement as "cheap blackmailÔÇØ, and insisted that his constitutional responsibility as National Secretary extends to all APC-controlled states - not just Osun State.

He also rejected what he described as veiled threats, declaring that political intimidation would not silence him and that party institutions must not be subordinated to personal power structures.

At the heart of the controversy is the APC's insistence that Wike is not a card-carrying member of the party, despite his open support for President Tinubu during the 2023 elections.

Basiru emphasized that political support does not equate to party membership, warning that APC would not tolerate attempts to import PDP-style political dominance into its internal operations.

The standoff has now ignited debates within political circles over federal loyalty, state power brokers, and whether Wike's influence has grown too large to be contained within party boundaries.

As tensions continue to rise, observers warn that the outcome of this confrontation could redefine APC's political balance in Rivers State and beyond.