By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
RIVERS STATE Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has formally announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Governor made the declaration on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt, confirming to political leaders and invited groups that he had joined the APC—effectively severing his long-standing ties with the PDP.
Fubara explained that the decision followed a strategic consultation with President Bola Tinubu on Monday, aimed at safeguarding stability in the state and preventing what he described as “avoidable mistakes”.
He noted that internal disputes within the PDP had severely hampered the effectiveness of his administration, stressing that the time had come to prioritise governance.
He said, “I went to see Mr President not for a personal visit but for a consultation in the interest of the state.” He added that the President was fully aware of the situation in Rivers State and had promised timely intervention.
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According to him, the long-anticipated signal for political realignment had now arrived:
“We have received full support and a positive nod to leave where we are. We did not get any protection where we were, and the reason we are still standing today is because of that new place.”
The Governor further acknowledged President Tinubu’s role in sustaining his administration:
“Without Mr President, there wouldn’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara. It would have been a former governor.”
Emphasising the need for alignment, Fubara stated: “We cannot support Mr President from the background. We cannot give him backyard support. This evening, we are moving to the APC.”
He assured supporters that formal defection procedures would commence immediately, pledging continued loyalty to his political base: “I have not disappointed you before, and I will not disappoint you now.”
Governor Fubara’s move to the APC has been widely anticipated, following speculations that he sought fresh guidance to avert further political unrest in the state.
Only last week, 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, including the Speaker, Martins Amaehwule, defected from the PDP to the APC.
The lawmakers also announced a recess until January—barely two months after emerging from a state of emergency.
Their defection came less than 24 hours after the Assembly passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu, endorsing him for a second term. The legislators also accused Governor Fubara of failing to submit a list of commissioner nominees.
Meanwhile, in a related development, all 23 local government chairmen in Rivers State, under the umbrella of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), along with their deputies and councillors, have formally endorsed President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
The endorsement ceremony took place at the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council conference hall, with dignitaries and local government officials in attendance.
Rivers ALGON Chairman and Port Harcourt City Council boss, Alwell Ihundah, praised the President for appointing prominent Rivers sons and daughters to key federal positions, describing the gesture as a sign of respect for the state.
Also speaking, Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, applauded President Tinubu for prioritising major infrastructural projects and human capacity development across the country.
He highlighted the post-subsidy intervention programmes and the appointment of an Ikwerre indigene, Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom, as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Environment and Technology, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to Rivers State.
According to him, continuity is vital to sustain the President’s reforms, hence his support for a second term in office.
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