Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara cannot be regarded as a lawful member of the APC in the state due to internal party disputes.
Cole made the assertion during an interview on Channels Television, where he argued that the Rivers State governor aligned himself with the wrong faction of the party.
Governor Fubara, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025, had his move openly endorsed by the party’s national leadership. He was later issued an APC membership card by Tony Okocha, who leads one of the factions of the party in Rivers State.
However, Cole maintained that the Emeka Beke-led faction remains the legally recognised leadership of the APC in the state, insisting that the governor made the wrong decision by joining the Okocha group.
According to him, Fubara cannot be legitimately recognised as an APC member in Rivers State unless he aligns with the Beke-led leadership.
Despite his criticism, Cole described the governor’s defection as a strategic political move.
“Who exactly welcomed him into the APC? Who issued his membership card, and where is he registered?” Cole asked.
“Tony Okocha’s group is not legally recognised, and that is where the problem lies.
“Although Fubara is recognised nationally as a member of the APC, the group that received him at the state level lacks legal standing.
“If he comes to us, we will officially welcome and recognise him because we have the legal authority to do so. Where he is now, he is not safe.”
Cole also cautioned the APC leadership against repeating the mistakes of the 2019 general elections, when a court ruling prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising APC candidates in Rivers State