Fubara Says APC Defection Was “Easy Choice,” Vows Unity and Development in Rivers

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that his decision to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was straightforward and deliberate, describing the move as one of the easiest choices he has made.

Fubara spoke on Thursday while addressing journalists at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, days after his formal defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor’s switch follows months of intense political tension in Rivers State, sparked by a prolonged power struggle between him and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over control of the PDP structure and party affairs in the oil-rich state. At the height of the crisis, President Bola Tinubu intervened by suspending the governor and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months in a bid to restore stability.

Reinstated in September, Fubara officially dumped the PDP for the APC on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in a move widely viewed as a significant political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Explaining his decision, the governor said his defection aligned with his long-held political convictions, insisting he had always identified with progressive ideals. He pledged to promote unity within the APC and work with party leaders to accelerate development in Rivers State and across the country.

Fubara said his decision to join the APC was an expression of gratitude to President Tinubu and a commitment to collaborate with other progressives to deliver good governance.

“I have always been a progressive at heart. My transition was easy because gratitude is simple. Joining the APC is my way of saying thank you to Mr President and partnering with other progressives to develop Rivers State and Nigeria,” he said.