Riverine Ijaw & Upland Ikwerre In Fresh Battle

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• Over 2027 Rivers Governorship Race

• As OK Chinda Emerges APC Guber Candidate

The Riverine Ijaw and Upland Ikwerre ethnic groups have once again clashed in the battle for control of Rivers State’s Brick House as the contest for the 2027 governorship heats up.

For 16 years, the Upland Ikwerre had dominated the state’s power structure through former governors Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. That dominance was under threat until the FCT Abuja Accord, brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, rescued incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara from impeachment threats and allowed him to complete his term until May 29, 2027.

However, Fubara’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2025 and his subsequent withdrawal from the governorship race have exposed deep cracks within the party. Rivers APC remains divided into 3 major factions, and the May 21, 2026, governorship primary only succeeded in papering over the cracks rather than resolving them.

THE THREE FACTIONS OF APC IN RIVERS STATE

There is the Wike/Tony Okocha faction recognised by the APC National Working Committee as the authentic leadership, with Okocha as State Chairman. This group currently controls the party structure and successfully produced Kingsley Chinda (OK Chinda), the House Minority Leader and a close Wike ally, as the sole governorship candidate after other aspirants stepped down.

There is the Amaechi/Emeka Beke faction backed by former Minister Rotimi Amaechi. Beke was elected Chairman in 2021 but was later suspended by the national leadership, which installed Okocha. Although a Rivers High Court reinstated Beke in 2024, the APC national body continues to recognise Okocha.

And there is the Fubara faction which emerged after the governor defected to the APC. Fubara attempted to contest the governorship but withdrew from the primary a day before voting, citing the need for “party unity.” His supporters claim they were sidelined, with some abandoning the party.

On May 21, Kingsley Chinda emerged as the sole candidate with 268,497 votes after Governor Fubara, Tonye Cole, and George-Kelly withdrew from the race. The withdrawals were publicly presented as a show of respect for party supremacy and the national leadership’s push for unity. In reality, the national leadership asked them to step aside to prevent a divisive primary that could have torn the party apart.

Wike’s loyalists also dominated the House of Representatives primaries, with 19 of 23 cleared aspirants seen as aligned to him, while several Fubara allies were disqualified.

THE ABUJA ACCORD: TINUBU’S DECISIVE INTERVENTION

The underlying tensions stem largely from the Abuja Accord — President Tinubu’s series of interventions in the long-running crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The most significant phase for the 2027 race occurred around mid-2025, leading to Fubara’s defection to the APC and his eventual withdrawal from the primary.

Tinubu’s main objectives were to prevent Fubara’s impeachment, stabilise governance in oil-rich Rivers State, avoid a total collapse of the political structure that could benefit the PDP, and strengthen APC’s position in the South-South region. These goals were pursued through direct high-level meetings at the Presidential Villa involving Tinubu, Fubara, Wike, and key assembly figures.

Under the deal, Fubara received protection from impeachment, with Wike-aligned House of Assembly members directed to halt removal proceedings. He was allowed to complete his full term until May 29, 2027, with federal backing, and given a face-saving opportunity to join the APC and initially contest the primary.

In exchange, Fubara conceded his re-election ambition for 2027 — the central trade-off in the accord. He accepted Wike’s significant influence over party structures and appointments and agreed to withdraw publicly while supporting the consensus candidate. The deal reinforced upland Ikwerre influence (Wike/Chinda) over riverine Ijaw interests (Fubara). Tinubu applied federal leverage, warning that continued fighting would split the APC and hand Rivers back to the PDP.

Fubara’s withdrawal statement acknowledged “immense pressures and difficult choices” while thanking President Tinubu for his “support and encouragement.” In essence, he traded his re-election bid to secure his remaining term, federal protection, and avoid being blamed for splitting the APC and handing the state back to the PDP.

Despite the accord, underlying tensions remain unresolved. The Beke faction holds a court judgment but lacks national recognition. Fubara’s camp feels betrayed after being sidelined in the primaries. Amaechi’s group continues to demand the resignation of Okocha and APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, with little response from the national leadership.

Today, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a presidential aspirant under African Democratic Party ADC and he is in contention against the former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and ADC in Rivers State is factionalized between Atiku- Abubakar camp led by Ex Militant warlord FARAH DAGOGO a field Commander of MEND now a Frontline Governorship aspirant under ADC whereas another Governorship Primary election of ADC was organized in Rivers State on Saturday 23rd May 2026 for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s faction having Dr. Sekonte Davies and Dr. Gabriel Pidomson with three others as Frontline Governorship aspirants.

While APC appears united behind Chinda on paper, the reality is three competing power centres operating under one nationally recognised structure. Fubara and Amaechi’s camps remain aggrieved and could either work to undermine Chinda or defect to other platforms such as the ADC or PDP ahead of 2027.

The Rainbow Coalition Ambassadors have urged Chinda to embark on broad-based consultations to heal the rifts. However, many observers believe the current peace is temporary and will likely hold only until after the 2027 elections.

The Abuja Accord was a pragmatic, top-down federal intervention that prioritised stability and Tinubu’s political interests over Fubara’s personal ambition. It successfully aborted the governor’s re-election bid while consolidating Wike’s influence through Chinda. Whether this fragile unity survives remains uncertain, as deep factional rivalries persist.

The Chairman of the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee and Returning Officer, Bitrus Kwamoti, made the announcement declaring Kingsley Chinda as the APC governorship candidate, on Thursday 21st, May 2026, at the APC Secretariat in Port Harcourt after collating results from all 23 Local Government Areas.

Kwamoti declared: “I, Bitrus Kwamoti, Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Returning Officer for the Rivers State Governorship Primary Election held today, 21st May 2026, hereby certify that the sole aspirant, Chinda Ogundu Kingsley, polled a total of 268,497 votes.

“Having satisfied the requirements of the APC Constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, Ogundu Kingsley is hereby declared the winner of the primary election and the party’s governorship candidate for Rivers State.”

The declaration comes amid intense political crisis in the state and growing influence of allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, within the APC.

There had been widespread speculation over Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s political future after reports emerged that he withdrew from the APC governorship primary.

Reacting to the outcome, Felix Obuah, popularly known as “Go Round,” told journalists at the APC Secretariat that Rivers State has no Upland-riverine dichotomy.

“Rivers State has no dichotomy of Upland and Riverine. What matters is one Rivers,” Obuah said, adding that other aspirants  gave way for a better candidate who can turn things around for the state.

Donu Kogbara, an international journalist has described the choice of an Ikwerre man as insensitive, for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to support or present another Ikwerre man as the governorship candidate in Rivers State.

She argued that the move raises concerns about fairness and political balance within the state’s ethnic and rotational expectations regarding leadership positions.

In her comments, she focused on the choice reportedly backed by Wike regarding the governorship direction in the state.

She noted that the selection of candidates from the same ethnic group in quick succession could generate concerns among stakeholders who expect rotational consideration in political representation within Rivers State.

Kogbara further maintained that the development touches on ethical considerations tied to political zoning and ethnic balance in the state.

Her remarks were directed at the unfolding contest and the implications it may have for political harmony and trust among various groups involved in the process.

She said, “I’m going to fight Chinda over this governorship thing. It’s not personal because I like him, but for ethical reasons, Chinda should have refused to play this role. He knows it’s not his turn. His ethnic group’s turn.”

She stated that political actors are expected to be mindful of existing expectations around turn-taking among different groups, especially in leadership succession debates within Rivers State.

She also referenced her personal familiarity with Chinda while stressing that her position was based on principle rather than personal sentiment.

She added that the situation reflects broader debates around equity and representation in political decision-making, particularly in states where ethnic diversity plays a significant role in shaping leadership choices.

–Emeka Amaefula

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