The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, yesterday, officially defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside his core supporters.
The governor made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Monday.
Addressing the gathering of PDP and APC loyalists, Fubara explained that his decision was prompted by the PDP’s failure to protect him during the recent political crisis in the state, while the APC offered the support and protection he needed.
“I went to see Mr. President not just for a personal visit, but for a consultation on state matters,” Fubara said. “The most important outcome of that meeting is that we now have full support to leave where we were because we didn’t get the protection we needed. The struggles we faced were due to the crisis in the state.”
He added, “If President Tinubu had not intervened, there wouldn’t be a Siminalayi Fubara today. We have the people and supporters with us. Our decision is to move to the APC and fully support the President’s second-term bid.”
Fubara’s defection represents a major political realignment in Rivers State and is expected to influence the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
