The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has publicly urged suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the APC ahead of his planned reinstatement and the formal lifting of emergency rule in the state.
On Tuesday, during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Darlington Nwauju, spokesman for Rivers APC, said that if he were governor, he would announce the defection on Thursday, the day Fubara is expected to return to power. He added that under the party’s rules, Fubara would automatically become the leader of APC in Rivers State upon joining.
The push comes as President Bola Tinubu and Fubara are both expected to return from abroad ahead of Thursday’s handover from military-style emergency administration to civilian government. Tinubu has reportedly cut short his vacation in France, while Fubara is due back from London.
While the APC has not formally demanded that Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.), who has overseen Rivers State governance during the emergency rule, account for his stewardship, Nwauju noted that the National Assembly’s processes may bring some oversight. He referenced a committee from the House of Representatives, which is expected to perform due diligence on the period of emergency rule.
Under the current arrangement, Ibas’s appointment as sole administrator followed a suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the state assembly by President Tinubu in March 2025. The emergency rule was imposed amid an escalating political crisis in Rivers State.
APC’s overtures to Fubara are being interpreted by political analysts as a strategic move from the ruling party to gain ground in Rivers, a PDP stronghold, ahead of future elections. Observers also suggest that Fubara’s acceptance of the offer could significantly alter the political dynamics in the state. However, there is no public confirmation yet from Fubara whether he intends to defect.
