The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has strengthened its base and endeared the party to more residents across the state.

This comes as the APC successfully concluded its delegate congresses and primary elections in Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana State Constituency II ahead of the February 21 House of Assembly bye-elections.

Speaking at a joint press briefing on Sunday, committee officials deployed by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) described the outcome of the exercises as peaceful and reflective of renewed public confidence in the party.

Chairman of the Congress and Primary Committee for Ahoada East State Constituency II, Shehu Dange, praised the governor’s entry into the APC, describing it as a unifying force within the party.

“Governor Fubara’s leadership has further united the APC family. The party is getting stronger in Rivers State because it now has a leader with focus and direction,” Dange stated.

He added that residents’ reactions during the delegate congress demonstrated their excitement over the recent political realignment.

“As we moved around the constituency, we saw the reactions of the people. They are happy with the new development and the emergence of a new leader of the APC in the state,” he said.

Secretary of the Delegate Congress and Party Primary Committee in Ahoada East, Barrister Smart Iheanazor, said the level of participation reflected growing trust in the governor’s leadership.

“Most importantly, while they were chanting ‘Renewed Hope’ in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, there was no doubt about their commitment. The entire Ahoada area turned out massively,” he said.

Khana Residents Eager For APC Success — Peter

In a similar vein, Ayoala Peter, who chaired the delegate congress and primary committee in Khana State Constituency II, said the enthusiasm displayed by party members underscored APC’s growing popularity in the area.

“Despite the distance between wards and the time it took to reach some of them, party members waited eagerly. We saw their happiness and willingness to participate in the process,” he said.

Earlier, the APC conducted ward congresses to elect delegates for the primaries. In Ahoada East, the exercise was supervised by the committee led by Dange, with Barr. Smart Iheanazor as secretary, and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.

The delegates were chosen through a voice vote, and five delegates emerged from each ward.

Similarly, in Khana, the process was chaired by Ayoala Peter, with INEC officials and security personnel present. Delegates were elected using the open ballot system.

The delegates elected across both constituencies will vote in the upcoming APC primaries to choose the party’s flagbearers for the February 21 bye-elections in Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana State Constituency II.

The Ahoada East seat became vacant after Edison Ehie resigned to become Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara, while the Khana seat has remained unoccupied since the death of Dinebari Loolo in September 2023.