Igbokwe Calls for Truce as Wike and APC Secretary Clash Over Rivers Politics

In a sharp intervention aimed at cooling tempers within the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Joe Igbokwe has condemned the escalating war of words between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru. Igbokwe, a veteran political commentator, described the public altercation as a “needless distraction” that threatens the internal cohesion of the party at a time when national focus should remain on President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda.

The rift erupted on Monday, January 5, 2026, during Wike’s “thank-you” visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area. The Minister issued a stern warning to Senator Basiru, telling him to steer clear of Rivers State politics after the National Secretary publicly defended Governor Siminalayi Fubara against insults from local party rivals. Wike, visibly agitated, cautioned Basiru against “reckless” interference, famously warning that anyone who puts their hand in Rivers’ politics might “get their hands burnt.”

Senator Basiru responded with a stinging rebuke, calling on Wike to immediately resign his ministerial appointment if he intends to remain “obsessed” with the internal dynamics of Rivers State. Basiru maintained that Wike is not a card-carrying member of the APC and therefore lacks the standing to dictate the activities of the party’s national secretariat. He further advised the Minister to stop using the leverage of his federal office to destabilize the state’s political structure, asserting that the party’s National Working Committee recognizes Governor Fubara as the leader of the APC in Rivers.

Joe Igbokwe, wading into the controversy via a social media post, argued that the hostility is “totally uncalled for” and serves no constructive purpose. Using a traditional metaphor, Igbokwe suggested that public displays of anger only diminish a leader’s standing, urging both men to let the misunderstanding “cease to exist now.” He expressed concern that such high-level infighting among the President’s key allies could provide ammunition to the opposition and derail the progress made in the state since Fubara’s recent defection to the APC.

The conflict highlights a deepening fracture within the “Renewed Hope” coalition in Rivers State. While Wike remains the primary architect of the political machinery that supported Tinubu in the 2023 elections, the APC national leadership appears increasingly inclined to support Governor Fubara as the statutory head of the party in the state. As the two heavyweights continue to lock horns, Igbokwe’s call for a truce reflects a growing anxiety among party loyalists that the “Rivers crisis” is becoming an uncontrollable wildfire.