By Muhammad Kabir Sani Hotoro
As a staunch supporter and committed stakeholder of the All Progressives Congress (APC), it has become increasingly difficult to remain silent while the institutional health of our party is subjected to persistent strain. The recent vitriolic outbursts by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, against the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, go beyond a mere regional disagreement. They reflect a troubling attempt to import the destructive culture of political godfatherism into the APC, a culture that hollowed out and ultimately weakened the PDP.
For those of us who believe firmly in party supremacy, such external overreach into the authority of the National Secretariat represents a red line that must not be crossed.
The facts are clear and well documented. Senator Ajibola Basiru, acting within his constitutional mandate as National Secretary and custodian of the APC’s institutional integrity, simply called for respect for the office of an elected governor. His intervention followed derogatory references to an incumbent governor as a “so-called governor,” a rhetoric capable of eroding democratic norms and party discipline. His position was measured, responsible, and consistent with the values of the APC.
The reaction from Minister Wike, however, was deeply troubling. Despite being a guest within an APC-led federal administration, he responded with crude threats, warning the National Secretary to “steer clear” of Rivers State and suggesting that he might “get burnt.” Such language typifies the brand of political intimidation and indiscipline that the APC has consistently rejected. Declaring an entire state a “no-go area” for a principal national officer of the party is an affront not only to Senator Basiru but to every card-carrying APC member across the country.
The APC is founded on the principle of party supremacy. Senator Basiru’s mandate is national, not regional. As head of the National Secretariat, his responsibilities span the entire federation. Any attempt to confine his authority to a particular state or zone is a dangerous misconception that undermines the National Working Committee (NWC) and weakens party cohesion.
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Support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commendable as it may be, does not confer the right to bypass party hierarchy or intimidate its leadership. One cannot be a guest in a house and proceed to threaten the landlord.
Under the leadership of the amiable National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, the NWC must rise as a united family to address this growing indiscipline.
Silence at this stage is no longer an option. The National Chairman is respectfully urged to formally direct the APC structure in Rivers State to affirm unambiguous loyalty to the sitting Governor, who remains the party leader in the state by law and convention.
Maintaining parallel or shadow structures to appease the ego of an outsider is a recipe for internal chaos.
Beyond condemnation, the NWC should formally document and report this pattern of conduct to Mr President. For the sake of the APC’s “Renewed Hope” agenda and the long-term stability of the party, it is imperative to recommend the immediate removal of Nyesom Wike from his ministerial position.
The APC cannot continue to accommodate a guest who deploys the powers of his office to blackmail and undermine the very party that provides the platform for his relevance.
Nyesom Wike must be reminded, firmly and unequivocally, that the APC is not a refuge for PDP-style political rascality. If he desires to influence the internal affairs of the party, the honourable path is clear: resign his guest status, formally join the APC at the ward level, and submit to the authority of the party’s constitution, the National Chairman, and the National Working Committee.
The APC National Secretary has both the right and the constitutional duty to uphold party standards in every corner of the federation. Any attempt to intimidate or “burn the hands” of the party’s leadership must be met with swift, decisive, and principled disciplinary action.