Olayiwola Matthew
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has offered justification for his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.
He made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ gathering at the Government House in Port Harcourt, where he stated that a lack of protection from his former party influenced his move to the ruling party.
During his remarks, Governor Fubara credited President Bola Tinubu for ensuring his continued leadership in oil-rich Rivers State, adding that joining the President’s party was his way of saying “thank you” for the support he received.
At the event, he declared, “What you all have been waiting for, what you have been asking me—the signal has finally arrived. We have the full support; we have the positive nod to leave where we are because we didn’t get any protection to go to where we are going.”
He continued, highlighting his reliance on the President’s backing: “The reason why we are still standing is because of that place, and the truth is, without Mr. President, there wouldn’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara; it would have been former governor.”
Fubara further noted that showing appreciation required full alignment, not what he called “backyard support,” saying the collective decision reached with his loyal supporters was to move to the APC.
His defection follows closely after the recent exit of Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 17 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who also left the PDP for the APC on December 5, citing internal party issues. Their departure reportedly increased the pressure on the governor to follow suit.