Wike’s Ally Chinda Emerges Frontrunner As Fubara, Cole Quit Rivers APC Guber Race
The race for the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship ticket in Rivers State appears to have tilted heavily in favour of Ogundu Chinda following the withdrawal of key contenders ahead of the party’s primaries.
Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency and a close associate of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is now widely seen as the leading aspirant for the party’s 2027 governorship ticket.
The political landscape shifted after Governor Siminalayi Fubara announced his decision to pull out of the contest. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the governor said his withdrawal was aimed at preserving peace and stability in the state.
Moments later, another APC aspirant, George-Kelly Alabo, also stepped down from the race.
Former APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Tonye Cole, had earlier declared that he would no longer participate in the 2027 governorship battle.
The exits of Fubara, Cole and Alabo have significantly narrowed the field ahead of Thursday’s APC primaries, placing Chinda in a strong position to secure the party’s ticket.
The latest development comes amid renewed political manoeuvring in Rivers State, with Wike recently arriving in Port Harcourt ahead of the primaries.
The prolonged rift between Fubara and Wike has continued to shape the state’s political atmosphere despite repeated reconciliation efforts.
Reacting to the withdrawals, lawyer and rights activist Chetam Nwala claimed the governor was never fully committed to the race.
According to him, Fubara only maintained the appearance of contesting while events unfolded behind the scenes.
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