Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday formally announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), ending months of speculation over his political future.
Fubara made the declaration during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Port Harcourt, where he said the decision became necessary to “secure stability” for Rivers State and ensure full political alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to the governor, remaining in the PDP had become “untenable” following the intense political crises that rocked the state earlier in the year, including confrontations with the state House of Assembly and a breakdown of relations with key party structures.
“The PDP failed to protect me when it mattered,” Fubara said. “We cannot run a government with backyard support. Rivers State must be fully aligned with the centre if we must move forward.”
His move comes weeks after a significant number of Rivers lawmakers defected to the APC—a shift that analysts say laid the groundwork for Monday’s official crossover.
The governor described his decision as a step toward restoring calm after a protracted political turmoil which at one point triggered federal intervention and heightened tensions across the state.
Political observers say Fubara’s defection marks a major realignment in the South-South region, historically a PDP stronghold. With Rivers—the region’s most politically strategic state—now under an APC governor, the ruling party is expected to consolidate its influence ahead of future elections.
APC leaders in Rivers and Abuja have welcomed Fubara’s move, saying his entry “instantly makes him the party leader in the state,” while PDP supporters have expressed disappointment over the development.
Fubara maintained that his decision was guided by the need to attract greater federal support and foster cooperation between the state and the central government.
“This is about Rivers people,” he added. “We must choose the path that gives us the greatest opportunity for peace and progress.”
