A former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Asukewe Ikoawaji, has delivered a scathing assessment of Nigeria’s current administration, describing its performance as immature and ineffective. He warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) risks losing the 2027 general elections if it fails to fulfil its promises and address the growing frustrations of Nigerians.
Ikoawaji also condemned what he called the deliberate silence of the APC’s national leadership over the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, particularly attempts by lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara. According to him, the party’s inaction reflects weak internal control and poor leadership, which could have serious consequences for its electoral fortunes.
A respected elder statesman and member of the Rivers State Elders Council, Ikoawaji said the APC appeared to be repeating the same mistakes that led to the downfall of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections. He argued that the ruling party was increasingly disconnected from the electorate, a situation he believes is evident in the recent wave of defections by governors and prominent political figures into the APC.
Drawing parallels with the past, he noted that the PDP adopted a similar strategy shortly before it lost power, attempting to strengthen itself through defections rather than rebuilding public trust. Speaking to The PUNCH on Friday, Ikoawaji said the APC had failed Nigerians in much the same way the PDP did before 2015, stressing that political realignments are often a symptom of declining public confidence rather than genuine strength.
Reacting to renewed threats to impeach Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, Ikoawaji described the crisis in Rivers State as a manifestation of broader leadership failures at the national level. He questioned why the APC leadership had failed to intervene, despite the fact that the governor, most local government chairmen, and a majority of the state lawmakers are members of the ruling party.
He expressed concern that a ruling party could watch silently while its own members allegedly move to remove one of their governors, warning that such indifference undermines party unity and governance. According to him, the situation is too serious to be ignored and reflects poorly on the APC’s capacity to manage internal disputes.
While laying significant blame on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his role in the Rivers political crisis, Ikoawaji also criticised Governor Fubara, accusing him of displaying weakness. He maintained that Rivers people would not support what he termed a “kindergarten governor” in future elections, insisting that elected leaders must demonstrate firmness and accountability to those who voted them into office.
Reflecting on his experience as Deputy National Chairman of the ANPP—once the leading opposition party during the PDP era—Ikoawaji lamented that many senior figures within the APC lacked a clear understanding of the party’s constitution. He warned that internal divisions and disregard for party rules could threaten the APC’s survival, invoking the biblical principle that a divided house cannot stand.
Ikoawaji further criticised recent visits by the FCT minister to local government areas in Rivers State alongside APC leaders, describing them as premature political campaigns conducted without official party branding. He questioned why APC leaders would accompany a politician who is not a member of the party and who was expelled from his former party, the PDP.
According to him, the absence of APC symbols during such outings, coupled with the visible presence of senior party officials, exposed what he described as political immaturity. He accused the party leadership of standing by while these actions undermined party identity and discipline.
A founding member of the APC and a key figure in the ANPP bloc that contributed to its formation, Ikoawaji warned that the ruling party was steadily losing public support. He criticised the Federal Government’s focus on long-term economic projections, arguing that such narratives have done little to ease the immediate hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians.
He pointed to the lack of reliable electricity and the widening gap between leaders and citizens as evidence of governance failure, questioning how ordinary Nigerians could benefit from public services when top officials themselves do not rely on them.
In his concluding remarks, Ikoawaji warned that Rivers people would resist what he described as poor leadership choices at the polls. He stressed that the electorate would not reward incompetence or weakness, insisting that the state would make its voice heard in the next general elections.
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