As Rivers State prepares for a fresh local government election in August, members of the defunct Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the Tinubu/Shettima APC Campaign Council (2023) have declared their support for their former colleague, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, who has announced his intention to recontest the chairmanship seat of Bonny Local Government Area.
Recall that Dagogo was a candidate in last year’s local government election, which was conducted by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara. However, that election was later declared invalid by the Supreme Court.
In a statement issued by Hon. Aminu Mutawalli, the former campaign committee called on the APC in Rivers State to recognise and consolidate the contributions of Dagogo towards the development of the party both in the state and at the national level, describing him as a “strong asset” to the party, particularly in Bonny LGA.
Mutawalli further noted that Dagogo, who currently serves as Director-General of the APC States Assembly Forum (ASAF), has made immense contributions toward maintaining party unity in Rivers State. He emphasised that Dagogo’s numerous peace initiatives at the national level have strengthened the APC under the leadership of Chief Tony Okocha in the state.
The statement urged the Rivers APC to seize the opportunity of the upcoming local government polls to solidify its influence ahead of the 2027 general elections. It stressed that the party can only achieve this by fielding strong and trusted grassroots candidates—naming Dagogo as one such candidate.
“Ambassador Fubara Dagogo has played a prominent role in promoting our great party at both the state and national levels. He is one of the foundation members of the APC, having transitioned from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), where he previously contested for councillorship and for the Bonny State Constituency seat in the 2011 and 2019 elections. He also served with distinction as a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Council, under the Contact and Mobilisation Committee, where we all gave our best to actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.
Mutawalli described the ASAF DG as a bridge-builder, noting that Dagogo’s candidacy would offer the APC a fresh and unifying face in Bonny LGA—moving away from the recurring cycle of recycled candidates who have often contributed to political crises in the state.
“These achievements are in addition to his pioneering role as the foundation Director-General of the APC States Assembly Forum (ASAF), where he has worked with other stakeholders to unify APC lawmakers nationwide in the party’s interest.
“Above all, we believe that Rivers APC needs a grassroots politician with a developmental ideology like Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, who enjoys strong recognition and credibility in his locality, to win the Bonny Local Government Area in August,” Mutawalli advised.