Fact-Check: That Fubara Emerges as YPP Governorship Candidate is False

Claim: An X user posted claiming that Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, emerged as the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Verdict: False

Full Text:

An X user with the user handle @sani_suleman_ on 21st September, 2026, dropped a post that was seen as a claim that the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has become the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

The post, which has the picture of the governor attached to it, reads, “BREAKING: Fubara Emerges Rivers State’s YPP Governorship Candidate.”

Screenshot from the claim by Dani Suleman Isah

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, elected on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform, became embroiled in a dispute with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). After Fubara took office in 2023, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency that suspended his administration.

With his reinstatement after 6 months out of office, he declared his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

After the party announced its primary, he purchased a nomination form to seek re-election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. However, after the party’s screening committee cleared him, he withdrew from the state governorship primary in May 2026.

In his statement, he noted that he stepped down out of conviction and sacrifice for the state to move forward in peace and unity.

The claim’s reference to the governor prompted NDRFactcheck to investigate its accuracy. The post had attracted 205 comments, 358 reposts, and 2,400 likes, although several X users questioned its authenticity here, here and here.

Verification

NDRFactcheck conducted a search of reports from reputable media organisations in Nigeria and party publications on their social media handles.

Our findings in a report by The Nigerian Voice announced that Blessing Fubara Snr., and not Siminalayi Fubara, emerged as the Young Progressives Party (YPP) governorship candidate in Rivers State.

The report clearly identified the candidate as Blessing Fubara Snr and not the incumbent governor.

Similarly, Elanhub reported that Blessing Fubara Snr. emerged as the YPP governorship candidate and chose Uwuma Awala as his running mate. The report did not identify Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the party’s candidate.

In addition, a review of election-related reports and candidate listings published by reputable media organisations, including The Nation, did not show Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the YPP governorship candidate for Rivers State.

NDRFactCheck also found no statement on the official social media platforms of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Conclusion

The evidence therefore shows that the viral post falsely attributed the YPP governorship candidacy to Governor Siminalayi Fubara by confusing him with another politician, Blessing Fubara Snr., who is the actual YPP candidate.

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