Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday evening, confirming months of intense political speculation following his high-profile feud with his predecessor.
The defection, which signals a major political realignment in the oil-rich state, was publicly announced by Fubara, who tied the move directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decisive influence.
The Governor indicated the transition was a necessary act of political gratitude and cooperation. He stated that the decision was “in reciprocity for the overwhelming support the state has received from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The move effectively concludes the political crisis that has gripped Rivers State, which many observers believe was part of a peace agreement mediated by the President to quell hostilities between Fubara and the political establishment that initially brought him to power.
Further justifying his decision, Governor Fubara openly criticized his former party, the PDP, for failing to safeguard his political interests amid the conflict. In subsequent remarks, Fubara explained why he defected, stating pointedly that “PDP failed to protect me.”
The defection grants the APC control of a crucial South-South state and fundamentally alters the political calculus leading up to the next election cycle.
