Ikoawaji APC criticism highlights elder statesman’s warning over party silence on Rivers impeachment and risks ahead of 2027 elections
Former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief Asukewe Ikoawaji, has criticised the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, describing it as “kindergarten” for remaining silent during moves to impeach Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
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Speaking exclusively, Ikoawaji warned that the ruling party could lose the 2027 general elections if it fails to fulfil its promises to Nigerians.
The elder statesman, a member of the Rivers State Elders Council, said the APC is repeating the mistakes of the Peoples Democratic Party, which contributed to its defeat in the 2015 elections.
Ikoawaji said the wave of defections by governors and top politicians into the APC signalled weakness, mirroring strategies previously adopted by the PDP.
He stated, “The APC has failed Nigerians in the same way the PDP failed before the 2015 elections. That was when the PDP started wooing governors from other parties because it had lost the confidence of the people. That is exactly what is happening now.”
While also criticising the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his involvement in the Rivers political crisis, Ikoawaji faulted Governor Fubara for what he described as signs of weakness, insisting that Rivers voters would not support a “kindergarten governor” in the next election.
He added that with the APC controlling the state government, the majority of local government chairmen, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, it was unacceptable that the party’s national leadership remained silent during impeachment proceedings.
Reflecting on his tenure as Deputy National Chairman of the ANPP, Ikoawaji emphasised the importance of party discipline and unity, invoking the proverb that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
He also criticised FCT Minister Wike’s grassroots campaigns with APC leaders, saying they lacked official party insignia and symbolised the APC’s weakening grip.
Ikoawaji said the Federal Government’s focus on long-term economic gains ignored Nigerians’ immediate hardships, citing electricity shortages as a key example.
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He concluded, “Mark my words: in 2027, Rivers State will not support a kindergarten governor.”
