Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has received the membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby formalising his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
While completing this process on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, Fubara snubbed the Emeka Bekee-led APC, which stayed with him during the political crisis, and instead pitched his tent with the State APC Chairman, Tony Okocha.
Fubara explained that his switch to APC was driven by the overriding commitment to “the safety, protection, progress, and sustained development of Rivers State.”
The Governor had left the PDP, which gave him the platform to become governor in 2023, four days ago after about 17 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly resigned from the PDP to join the APC.
Fubara explained to his supporters that “aligning with the ruling party at the federal level became necessary to ensure political stability and accelerate development across the state,” noting that “supporting President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu was not only a matter of political alignment but also a show of appreciation for the President’s sacrifices in keeping the Rivers State government standing through its most challenging moments.”
The Governor emphasised that now that Rivers State is united under one political umbrella with the federal government, “the task ahead to strengthen the APC and secure a smooth political sail into 2027 has become clearer and more achievable.”
He assured the party’s national leadership that Rivers State would remain a stronghold of the APC under his watch, pledging to take full responsibility for meeting the needs of the party executive and sustaining its activities across the state.
Governor Fubara also thanked leaders and supporters who stood by him, urging them to double their commitment as the state moves into what he described as “a new phase of political consolidation and development.”
In his remarks, the National Chairman of APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, represented by the State APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, congratulated Governor Fubara on his bold decision to join the party.
Yilwatda said the governor’s reasons for defecting were “sound, patriotic, and in the best interest of the state,” noting that the governor’s entry into the APC opens a new chapter for unity among political leaders in Rivers State, now coming together under one political family.
The documentation process, performed by the State Secretary of the APC, Chief Eric Nwibani, was witnessed by the Minister for Aviation, Chief Festus Keyamo, who was in the state for the flag-off and inauguration of projects, as well as some political leaders of the state and close allies of the governor.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has remained silent since then, while the executive and legislative arms of government in the state, led by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, are still not functioning smoothly.
Amaewhule disclosed that the various lawsuits in the state appeared designed to immobilise the Assembly at a time when political alignments became a necessity. He argued that the legal actions were not mere responses to constitutional issues but part of a broader strategy to keep lawmakers from exercising their political options.
The Speaker noted that while disagreements between the legislative and executive arms are not unusual, the scale of the legal measures taken signalled a deeper unwillingness to accommodate political plurality, saying that such aggressive litigation has contributed to heightened political tension and confusion among residents.
He argued that the outcome of these legal battles has shaped public perception about the government’s tolerance for dissent and internal movement within the political class. According to him, the Assembly has been forced to manage its duties under what he described as an atmosphere of legal intimidation.
According to him, despite the hurdles, lawmakers remain committed to carrying out their responsibilities, noting that the numerous court processes have only complicated an already fragile political environment. He called attention to the implications of these disputes, particularly for governance and public confidence in state institutions.
“The governor does not want to work with the Rivers Assembly; we will discuss that another day. He rushed to court with over 50 cases just to stop us from joining the APC.”
Fubara has since denied the claims that he avoids seeing the lawmakers, blaming the situation on Minister Wike, whom he said was yet to fix an appropriate time for such a parley.
