PDP Blasts APC On Fubara’s Defection, Says Move An Attack On Democracy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday blasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating the political crisis that pushed him out of the opposition party.

PDP leaders insisted that Fubara’s exit neither weakened the party nor altered its structure in Rivers State.

Fubara on Tuesday officially announced his defection to the APC, joining Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno; Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; and Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Siri, all of whom left the PDP.

With his defection, all six South-South states—Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, and Cross River—are now governed by the APC.

Speaking at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Fubara said he left the PDP because the party could not protect him and he continued to be addressed as “His Excellency” due to the support of President Bola Tinubu. He added that his defection was in the interest of the state.

Fubara told party loyalists, “Our dear leaders, I know you have been expecting to hear from me, especially this meeting that I had to arrange so urgently. But the meeting is going to end with very sweet information.

“You are aware that I went to see Mr President yesterday, and the reason why I went to that meeting is not just a personal visit, but it is a state interest consultation. I don’t want to make any mistakes this time around. I also wish not to step on any landmine that anyone is laying for us. So I was with Mr President yesterday to brief him on the situation of things in our state, which I believe he had taken note of, and he is going to act swiftly on it.

“But the most interesting part of the meeting is what you all have been waiting for. What you have been asking me for, 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. The reason why we are still standing is because of that place. And the truth is that without Mr President, there won’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara. It would have been a former governor.

“Our only ‘thank you’ to Mr President is to support him. And we cannot support Mr President in isolation. We can’t support Mr President if we don’t fully identify with him, not backyard support. So we have taken that decision today since we’ve gotten the pass.

“Everyone here who has followed me and suffered with me, our decision today, this evening, we are moving to APC.”

Immediately after the announcement, the hall chorused ‘On your mandate we shall stand,’ with the governor singing along and thereafter ordering the removal of the PDP flag in the Government House.

Fubara added, “Please remove this PDP flag. We don’t need it here again. Now that our position has been made clear, every other formal process will commence. Let me thank you all for your support. I’ve not let you down before, I’m not going to let you down.

“The message is very simple. We are the ones who will give that support, and we will give that support with a loud ovation because we know the people of Rivers State are with us. Thank you.”

Present at the meeting were the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba, his predecessor, Dr Tammy Danagogo, former Ambassador to the Netherlands, Oji Ngofa, and all former LG chairmen who served under Fubara, among others.

The PDP described the Rivers situation as a testament to the dysfunctional nature of Nigeria’s democracy, where individuals are bigger and stronger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to obfuscate political life out of their opponents and bring them to their knees.

Tanimu Turaki-led National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was in danger, stressing that the ruling party’s push toward a one-party system and shrinking of the political space posed a serious threat:

“Democracy is terribly threatened by acts of this kind, and all well-meaning people should unify in condemning this progressive decline of democratic norms.

“We reiterate to Nigerians and the global community that with the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party towards the attainment of a one-party state, and the constriction of the political space, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria.

“Everyone must rise together to oppose this ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism.”

Ememobong added that the Rivers crisis exposed a broken democracy where powerful individuals overpowered institutions and used federal machinery to crush their opponents.

He also expressed hope that Fubara did not fall into Stockholm Syndrome, “The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has received the news of the formal defection of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, from our party to the ruling party.

“This news, as pitiful as it is, is an exemplar of the old legal maxim, Volenti non fit injuria, meaning to one who is willing, no harm can be done.

“Everyone who has followed the developments that culminated in this uneventful defection will recall that the governor willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination. Having done so voluntarily, he cannot turn around and accuse our party, or any other person or group, of abandoning or not protecting him.

“Whilst a person who is at a crossroad of threats of existential proportion will most likely suffer from temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the governor should have nothing less than praise for our party, civil society organisations, and all Nigerians who freely stood up in his defence since this crisis started until he capitulated.

“It is our prayer that the governor should not suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, where a victim falls in love with his captor. In all, despite these, we pity the governor and wish him well.”

Factional chairman of the PDP in the state, Robinson Ewor, said the party remained intact, adding,

“The governor’s defection to the APC is nothing new as far as I’m concerned. You know that the APC declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, not because there was a crisis in Rivers State, but because they wanted to take over Rivers State.

“During the state of emergency, they conducted a local government election and took over the 20 LGAs completely. Within the same period under review, they appointed all the boards, parastatals and agencies in Rivers State. So Fubara came back with nothing in his hands. If Fubara remains in PDP, he is like a non-existent figure.

“As far as I’m concerned, he has gone long ago, and the APC has captured the state long ago. Not because he wanted to go but because they fought him and they conquered him.”

Ewor further stressed, “PDP is intact. I remain in PDP. There are other PDP members. So, PDP is one of the registered political parties in the country, in the state. There are other states too where the governor defected, and the PDP is still there. States like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, etc. PDP is still in those states, and in Rivers too.”

Fubara’s frosty relationship with former governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, escalated into a wider confrontation involving lawmakers, eventually leading to the declaration of a state of emergency on March 18, 2025.

President Tinubu suspended Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as sole administrator to restore stability.

Even after the emergency rule ended on September 18, Fubara’s relationship with lawmakers remained strained.

On December 5, 16 members of the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC, citing the intractable crisis and factionalisation of the PDP. Earlier, these lawmakers had passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu and declared support for his 2027 re-election bid.

On December 8, 22 of the 23 local government chairmen in the state, under the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, alongside their ward councillors, also declared support for Tinubu’s second-term bid. Only the chairman of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, where the governor hails from, abstained.

In the last LGA election conducted by the sole administrator, the APC won 20 LGAs while the PDP won three.

Former House of Representatives member Chief Ogbonna Nwuke said Fubara’s defection to the APC was likely influenced by political developments in the South-South.

With Fubara’s exit, all six South-South states—Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, and Cross River—are now governed by the APC, marking a significant shift in the region’s political landscape.