As Governor Siminalayi Fubara prepares for his reinstatement on September 18, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has expressed readiness to work with him, while making it clear that collaboration will not stop the opposition from holding him accountable.

The state APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, disclosed this during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, assuring that the party would maintain its role as a constructive opposition.

He said, “The governor who was suspended will return to office on September 18. The APC will work with him when he returns.

“There are states where the governor and assembly members are in different parties, so we are going to work with him.

“However, that will not take away our right to criticise him when he does wrong. But for us, the LG chairmen will work with him, except that we will not agree to vicious policies.”

On the recently concluded local government elections, Okocha described the exercise as a pointer to the 2027 general elections, noting that the APC deliberately avoided contesting in PDP strongholds while focusing on areas where it had better chances.

“The Rivers State LG election is a prelude to what will happen in 2027. Whilst we were campaigning, I told our people that there is a need for us to believe in the centre and leave the periphery.

“We did not field candidates in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs because we do not have the strength in those areas.

“It was our own calculated strategy not to field candidates in those LGAs and concentrate only where we have a comparative advantage. Remember that Rivers State was a PDP state,” Okocha explained