Fubara Joined Illegal Rivers APC Faction – Tonye Cole

Tonye Cole, a former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara aligned himself with an “illegal” faction of the party following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Cole maintained that the faction led by Emeka Beke remains the only legally recognised APC structure in Rivers State.

He argued that by receiving his APC membership card from Tony Okocha, whom he described as a factional chairman without legal standing, Fubara had taken a wrong step.

Fubara defected to the APC in December 2025 and was formally welcomed by the party’s national leadership.

However, Cole said the governor could not be considered a valid APC member at the state level until he aligned with the Beke-led faction, which he said had been affirmed by the courts.

According to Cole, while Fubara’s defection itself was a strategic political move welcomed by many within the ruling party, the process through which he joined was flawed.

He said his own leadership position in the party was anchored on a court case instituted by the faction that produced him as the APC’s governorship candidate, a case he said was decided in favour of the Beke-led group.

“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.

“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.”

Cole questioned the legitimacy of the group that issued Fubara his membership card, insisting that Tony Okocha’s faction lacked legal recognition.

“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.”

He hinted that although Fubara may enjoy national recognition as an APC member, the state structure that received him had no lawful backing, warning that this placed the governor in a precarious position within the party. 

“Even though he (Fubara) is recognised nationally as a member of the APC, the group that has welcomed him is not legally recognised.”

Cole said the Beke-led faction was prepared to formally receive and recognise Fubara if he chose to align with it.

“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.”