The former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Tonye Cole, has alleged that Siminalayi Fubara, the state governor, aligned himself with the “illegal” faction of the APC in Rivers.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Cole maintained that the Emeka Beke-led Rivers APC remains the legitimate and recognised faction of the party in the state.
In December 2025, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC.
The APC national leadership subsequently welcomed the Rivers governor into the party.
Fubara received his APC membership card from Tony Okocha, who is regarded as a factional chairman of the Rivers APC.
Reacting to the defection, Cole said the governor took a “wrong direction” by identifying with the Okocha faction.
He argued that Fubara cannot be lawfully acknowledged as an APC member in Rivers until he aligns with the Beke-led faction.
Cole, however, described Fubara’s defection as an “astute political move” that is embraced by members of the ruling party, including himself.
“I remain the leader of the APC in Rivers state. The reason is very simple. There is a legal case, which was instituted by the APC (faction) that elected me as a candidate of the party,” he said.
“That is the Emeka Beke-led faction case. That case was won in court, and the faction was recognised as the APC leadership. That is legal. I stand on that.
“Every other person who claims to be chairman or leader of APC, unless they come under that faction, doesn’t exist as far as the law is concerned.
“Who is welcoming him (Fubara) to the APC? Who is the one issuing him the membership card? Where is he registered under? Now Tony Okocha is not a legally recognised faction of the APC, and that is where the problem is.
“Even though he (Fubara) is recognised nationally as a member of the APC, the group that has welcomed him is not legally recognised.
“He should come. We will recognise and welcome him because we have the legal standing to do so. He is not safe where he is.”
Cole further cautioned the APC leadership against repeating the crisis of the 2019 elections, when a court ruling barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the party’s candidates in Rivers state.