By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Abuja, January 5, 2026 — The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately resign his appointment, accusing him of undue interference in the internal affairs of the ruling party, particularly in Rivers State.
Basiru, in a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, reacted to what he described as a “tirade” by Wike against him and his office following his remarks that sitting governors remain the political leaders of the APC in their respective states.
“It is shocking that such an innocuous statement can elicit such uncouth responses from no less than a member of the Federal Executive Council,” Basiru said.
The APC scribe stressed that Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lacks the constitutional standing to interfere in the affairs of the APC, noting that party records do not list him as a member.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party (APC), so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our party,” Basiru stated.
He explained that as National Secretary of the APC, he is constitutionally empowered to engage with party structures across the country, dismissing claims that his comments amounted to interference in Rivers State politics.
“As National Secretary, my activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State. I am imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the party and all its members,” he added.
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Basiru also dismissed allegations by Wike suggesting that APC leaders were scrambling for an alleged ₦600 billion allocation in Rivers State, describing the claim as “cheap blackmail.”
“My background and track record are that of unquestionable integrity. I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court,” Basiru said.
Responding to what he described as veiled threats from the FCT minister, Basiru warned Wike against what he called political intimidation.
“He is not God and may be overplaying his political card. I will not succumb to cheap threats,” he said, adding that he was actively involved in the struggle against military rule while “the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.”
The APC National Secretary further argued that Wike’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not confer APC membership on him, noting that millions of Nigerians who are not members of the ruling party also support the president.
“His attempt to destabilise our party in Rivers State will not be tolerated. He cannot bring the spirit of the PDP into the APC,” Basiru warned.
Reiterating his statement, Basiru advised Wike to choose between his ministerial position and partisan interference.
“He cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the party using the leverage of that same office. The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as minister,” he said.
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The escalating war of words underscores deepening political tensions in Rivers State and highlights ongoing debates about party loyalty and influence within the Tinubu-led administration.
