Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, ending his long-standing affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party.
Fubara announced the move on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ gathering at the Government House in Port Harcourt, where he declared that aligning fully with President Bola Tinubu was necessary for the state’s political stability and future direction.
“We can’t support President Tinubu if we don’t fully identify with him,” the governor told attendees. “The decision this evening is that we are moving to the APC.”
His defection follows Monday’s visit to the State House Abuja, where he held a private meeting with the President. Although no details were revealed, the development came amid ongoing political recalibration in the South-South.
Fubara now joins a wave of PDP governors who recently crossed to the APC, including Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Peter Mbah of Enugu, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
The governor’s political journey in 2025 has been marked by turbulence. On March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly amid escalating tensions between the executive and legislature.
A retired naval chief, Ibok-Ette Ibas, was appointed interim administrator to steer the state during the six-month emergency rule.
Upon returning to office, Fubara described the period as “enormously challenging” but maintained that cooperating with the federal government was essential to preserving democratic structures.
He said he resisted calls to legally challenge the emergency declaration, choosing instead to prioritise peace and stability. This approach, he added, paved the way for reconciliation efforts involving himself, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to the governor, the peace pact brokered by President Tinubu was accepted “in the overall interest of the people of Rivers State.”
Source: Punch Newspaper
