Blessing Fubara, the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, has firmly rejected claims that his 2027 ambition is being orchestrated by a political godfather or by his elder brother, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Appearing on Arise Television’s Prime Time, Blessing Fubara said his decision to run for governor is rooted in personal conviction, not family ties or backroom sponsorship. He stressed that attempts to link his candidacy to the governor were part of a broader effort to control the political narrative in Rivers State.

“I don’t have a godfather but I have God the Father,” he declared, insisting that any project built on another person’s influence would lack direction. “If my ambition is determined by the grounds you are mentioning, it would mean I have no clear vision or focus for what I am working toward.”

He was equally keen to separate his political identity from that of his brother, noting that the public had already witnessed the governor’s turbulent relationship with his former party and political allies. According to him, that episode underscored how divergent their approaches to politics have become.

“My brother, Nigerians, and indeed the wider world saw what happened between him and his party. We have different political ideologies and individual perspectives,” he said, positioning himself as an independent actor in a deeply polarised landscape.

Blessing Fubara argued that the real issue in Rivers State is not who is backing whom, but how to confront the state’s mounting governance and development challenges. He accused unnamed interests of pushing competing storylines to distract citizens from the core problems.

“It’s a trying moment for us in Rivers State and there are all sorts of narratives. They come with different narratives and try to set up a perspective for the people to run with but we are focused with our eyes on the ball that the soul of Rivers State must be rescued,” he said.

Blessing Fubara’s entry into the 2027 race, after obtaining the NDC’s expression of interest and nomination forms, comes against the backdrop of a prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, marked by impeachment threats, rival legislative camps, and courtroom battles involving Governor Fubara and his erstwhile allies.