Rivers deputy gov dumps PDP for APC
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), completing her e-registration at Akabuka, Ward 8, in her home local government of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA). Following her registration on Sunday, she embarked on an extensive tour across the six zones of the area to sensitize residents and encourage them to join the party. During the mobilization drive, she urged the people to show their loyalty to the current administration, stating, “Today, I came to sensitize the people, and everywhere we went, there were large crowds who came out to receive us. They said wherever I go, they will go with me, and wherever Governor Fubara and President Tinubu go, they will go.”
The Deputy Governor clarified that this mass registration movement is a direct follow-up to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s recent declaration for the APC. The strategy is designed to consolidate political support at the grassroots level for both the Governor and President Bola Tinubu. Professor Odu highlighted that six zonal meetings had already been successfully conducted to ensure a seamless implementation of the registration process. She noted that the tour covered the Egi, Omoku, Osomini, Igburu, Egbema, and Ndoni regions, where the high turnout signaled a shifting political tide in favor of the ruling party.
The mobilization efforts yielded immediate results as hundreds of members from the Labour Party in Ndoni officially defected to the APC during the tour. The defectors expressed significant enthusiasm about joining the party, a move Professor Odu described as a major boost to the APC’s strength within the local government. She viewed this alignment as a clear sign that grassroots voters are increasingly identifying with the leadership direction provided by the President and the Governor, further weakening the opposition’s foothold in the region.
In a parallel development that further signals a realignment of power in Rivers State, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Benibo Anabraba, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His resignation was made official through a letter dated January 5, 2026, addressed to his ward chairman in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. While Anabraba did not immediately announce a new party affiliation, his exit from the PDP represents another significant departure of a high-ranking official from the former ruling party’s structure.
In his formal letter, Anabraba explained that his decision to leave the party was purely personal and came after careful reflection. He took the opportunity to acknowledge his history with the organization, expressing gratitude for the various political opportunities he had been afforded during his time as a member. With both the Deputy Governor and the SSG moving away from the PDP, the political landscape in Rivers State appears to be rapidly transforming as the 2027 election cycle begins to take shape
