The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, is back in the spotlight, this time declaring his party’s intention to “capture” Rivers State in the 2027 elections. Ganduje, notorious for his bold political proclamations, made this announcement while inaugurating the newly elected APC executive committee in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The inauguration, led by Chief Tony Okocha, was an unusual move. Traditionally, state chapters are inaugurated at the APC headquarters in Abuja, but Ganduje said the decision to hold it in Rivers was part of a new grassroots approach. I think it is a desperate PR stunt in a state that has historically leaned toward the opposition. Regardless, Ganduje used the event to outline his party’s ambitions, claiming the APC is making significant inroads in the South-South region, where the PDP has long been dominant. Cross River and Edo states, he boasted, have already been “taken” by the ruling party, with Rivers being the next target.
Ganduje’s remarks were laced with repeated calls for the APC in Rivers to “synergize” and “embrace the state.” However, this does little to address the internal fractures within the party, especially in a region where APC influence isn’t at it’s best.
He also urged the newly inaugurated executive to focus on conflict resolution within the party, a clear nod to ongoing disputes that have affected the APC in Rivers. The chairman’s call for unity might be necessary.
Interestingly, Ganduje painted Rivers as a battleground where the APC would replicate its supposed success in Cross River and Edo. Yet, many Nigerians would argue that the party’s hold on these states is far from secure.
The newly inaugurated state chairman, Tony Okocha, seemed to replicate Ganduje’s optimism, declaring that the APC is already “one united party” in Rivers. However, the very existence of ongoing litigation from disgruntled members tells a different story.
Meanwhile, Ganduje’s track record of bold declarations hasn’t gone unnoticed. We recall his similar assertions about Osun State, where his party faced strong pushback from Governor Ademola Adeleke. Now, with Rivers firmly in his sights, it remains to be seen how Governor Siminalayi Fubara will respond. I’m definitely anticipating his response.
