Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has challenged claims of political leadership in Rivers State, faulting Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s declaration of himself as “001” in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fayose spoke during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, where he drew parallels with Lagos State, arguing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cannot be described as the political leader of Lagos, insisting that such authority rests with President Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the state.
To buttress his position, Fayose cited the recent impeachment and subsequent reinstatement of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, describing the reversal as clear evidence of Tinubu’s overriding influence in the state’s political structure.
“The president I know detests ingratitude. He controls Lagos from the palm of his hands,” Fayose said. “A speaker was impeached and another person took over. Without saying a word, the system reversed itself because it was an affront to the president, who is the leader.
“Will you tell me Sanwo-Olu is the leader in Lagos? Let him come out and say so. Some statements are made for aesthetics. Don’t let it get to your head.”
Fayose also described the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State as a political lifeline for Governor Fubara, saying it saved him from imminent impeachment and political extinction.
“The emergency rule was a win for Governor Fubara because by now he would have been history,” he said. “Once you are impeached, you are out and cannot contest again.
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“If you read the body language of President Tinubu, he took Governor Fubara to the cleaners. It is time for him to learn, the same way I learnt after my first tenure.”
The comments come amid a prolonged political feud between Fubara and his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over control of Rivers State’s political structure.
In December 2025, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. At the flag-off of the Rivers Airport Bypass Project on December 12, he publicly pledged loyalty to the ruling party and President Tinubu.
“Today, I am very happy. I am not just a member of the APC; I am number one. I have collected my membership card, and the form is 001,” Fubara said.
“So, from this moment, I am fully committed. The message is clear: we will do everything to ensure a smooth ride for Mr President in Rivers State in 2027.
“How do we do it? With your support. The only way we can continue to thank Mr President is to support him.”
His defection followed the movement of 15 Rivers State House of Assembly members, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, to the APC.
However, Wike dismissed Fubara’s leadership claim, insisting that party registration is conducted at ward and local government levels and that there is no statewide “001” designation in the APC.
“He decamped to APC with whom? What is 001?” Wike asked. “There is nothing like 001 in the state.
“You register in your ward and local government. If you are 001, it is in your ward. Being the first to register does not confer leadership.
“Leadership is not because you are a governor or a minister. You must have something that makes you a leader,” Wike added.
