Speaking to journalists on Thursday at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, Fubara said his move was not due to political pressure but a desire to “say thank you” to the President for his role during the political crisis in Rivers State.
By Titilope Adako
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was driven by gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, Fubara said his move was not due to political pressure but a desire to “say thank you” to the President for his role during the political crisis in Rivers State.
“My joining the APC is to thank Mr President and to work with other progressives to develop my state and Nigeria. It wasn’t a difficult decision; it was easy,” he said, adding that he had always aligned with progressive ideals even while in the PDP.
Fubara described his experience in the opposition party as largely nominal, saying he was never fully integrated into its structure.
“Was I really a member of the PDP? I wasn’t. About 90 per cent of whatever I suffered during the political crisis was imposed on me by the party. I was just there in name. I was on the balcony, not inside the house,” he noted.
His defection follows months of political turmoil in Rivers, including a prolonged power struggle with former governor Nyesom Wike over control of the PDP in the state.
The crisis led President Tinubu to suspend Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months to restore stability.
Fubara was reinstated in September and formally joined the APC on December 9, 2025, shortly after several Rivers lawmakers also defected to the ruling party, signalling a major realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
Now in the APC, Fubara pledged to unite party members in Rivers and provide clear leadership for its growth.
“I will ensure that I bring everybody together for more unity and progress of the party in the state. There is now a direction, and there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
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