I joined APC to thank Tinubu – Fubara

The political landscape of Rivers State has shifted dramatically following Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s formal move to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking to journalists on Thursday, December 18, at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, the governor framed his defection as an act of sincere appreciation toward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He clarified that the decision was not forced by external political weight but was instead a personal choice rooted in gratitude for the President’s intervention during the state’s recent period of intense instability. Fubara noted that aligning with the APC was a natural progression, stating, “My joining the All Progressives Congress is to say thank you to Mr President and to join hands with other progressives to develop my state and Nigeria at large. It wasn’t a difficult decision; it was easy.”  

Reflecting on his previous tenure with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fubara revealed that his connection to his former party was more superficial than it appeared to the public. He suggested that his time there was marked by a lack of true integration and that much of the friction he faced originated from within the PDP’s own internal mechanics. The governor described himself as an outsider even while holding the party’s mandate, remarking, “If I have to be honest, was I really a member of the PDP? I wasn’t. Whatever I suffered during the political crisis, about 90 per cent of it was imposed on me by the party. I was just there in name. During the crisis, I wasn’t part of any group. I was on the balcony, not inside the house.”

This high-profile defection serves as the climax to months of bitter political warfare in Rivers State, largely defined by a power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The friction reached such a peak that it required federal intervention, leading President Tinubu to temporarily suspend both the governor and the State House of Assembly to prevent further escalation. Following his reinstatement in September and his official entry into the APC on December 9, 2025, Fubara’s move mirrors a broader trend in the state, as several local lawmakers have also pivoted toward the ruling party, signaling a massive realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.  

Looking toward the future, Governor Fubara is now positioning himself as the primary unifier for the APC in the Niger Delta’s most influential oil-producing state. He expressed a strong commitment to resolving internal fractures and providing a singular, cohesive vision for the party’s growth moving forward. By stepping into this new leadership role, he aims to replace the recent chaos with a sense of stability and common purpose, asserting, “Now that I am a member, 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.”