Rivers: Fubara’s withdrawal was voluntary, Wike not the cause — Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, has insisted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State withdrew from the party’s governorship primaries voluntarily.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Yilwatda noted that Fubara was neither disqualified nor forced out of the race.

According to him, Fubara duly purchased the party’s nomination forms, appeared before the screening committee and was cleared to contest before later deciding to step down ahead of the primaries, adding that the governor’s withdrawal was entirely a personal decision.

“He pulled out; he stepped down. It is personal to him. He bought the forms, came for screening, passed the screening, and we were waiting for the primaries before he opted to step down,” Yilwatda stated.

He equally debunked claims that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, influenced the process or played any role in Fubara’s withdrawal from the race.

Yilwatda maintained that the former Rivers governor was not even a member of the ruling party.

“Wike is not in our party. He is in the PDP,” he said.

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Rivers: Fubara’s withdrawal was voluntary, Wike not the cause — Yilwatda