By Nworisa Michael
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in a move that marks one of the most dramatic political realignments in the state’s recent history. The governor made the announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, bringing to an end months of speculation surrounding his political future.
Fubara’s defection comes amid prolonged internal crises within the PDP, particularly in Rivers State, where political tension between the governor and influential party blocs had deepened. During the meeting, Fubara reportedly stated that the PDP failed to protect him at critical moments, hinting at internal betrayals and a widening gap between him and key party leaders. His explanation suggests that the conflict within the Rivers PDP had become irreconcilable, leaving him with no political shelter within the party that brought him to power.
The governor’s move follows a wave of defections that rattled the state assembly earlier in December, when seventeen lawmakers alongside the Speaker announced their exit from the PDP to the APC. Their defection shifted the legislative balance dramatically, raising questions about the stability of Fubara’s administration and hinting that the political tide in Rivers was turning long before the governor made his own move. By joining the APC, Fubara now aligns himself with a legislature that had already crossed over, possibly restoring harmony between the executive and the assembly after months of open hostility.
The defection also comes shortly after a series of engagements between the Rivers governor and top figures in the federal government, giving rise to speculation that his move may be part of a broader national political strategy. While the governor has not confirmed these assumptions, political observers believe that aligning with the ruling party at the national level may offer him protection and political leverage in the face of escalating state-level disputes.
Fubara’s entry into the APC significantly alters the political landscape of Rivers State, a territory long considered a PDP stronghold. The APC now controls both the executive arm and a major bloc of the legislature, giving the ruling party unprecedented influence over political structures in the state. This development is expected to reshape governance, political appointments, and alliances within Rivers, while also strengthening the APC’s presence in the South-South region a zone where the party had historically struggled to gain firm footing.
However, the defection may spark new tensions within the state’s political space. Loyalists of the PDP, already angered by the earlier legislative defections, are likely to push back against what they may see as a coordinated effort to dismantle the party’s dominance. Analysts also warn that Fubara’s move could produce fresh internal disputes within the APC, particularly over the control of political structures, patronage networks, and 2027 electoral arrangements.
Governor Fubara now enters a new political chapter one that may redefine not only his administration but also the wider political balance in the South-South region. Whether this shift will bring stability or ignite another round of political confrontation remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the political equation in Rivers State has changed dramatically, and the effects will reverberate far beyond Port Harcourt.