I Joined APC to Express Gratitude to President Tinubu - Gov. Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has revealed that his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was motivated primarily by a desire to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in the state's prolonged political crisis.Speaking to journalists on Thursday at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, Governor Fubara described the move as an act of appreciation rather than one driven by coercion."My joining the All Progressives Congress is to say thank you to Mr President and to join hands with other progressives to develop my state and Nigeria at large. It wasn’t a difficult decision; it was easy," he stated.Fubara emphasized that expressing gratitude to the President for his role in resolving the crisis made the transition straightforward. He added that he has always aligned with progressive ideals, even during his time in the PDP, where he felt his membership was more nominal than substantive."If I have to be honest, was I really a member of the PDP? I wasn’t. Whatever I suffered during the political crisis, about 90 per cent of it was imposed on me by the party. I was just there in name. During the crisis, I wasn’t part of any group. I was on the balcony, not inside the house," he explained.The defection comes on the heels of a turbulent period in Rivers State, marked by a bitter power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, over control of the PDP structure. The crisis escalated to the point where President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in March 2025, suspending the governor, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly for six months to restore stability.Fubara was reinstated in September 2025 and formally announced his switch to the APC on December 9, following similar moves by several assembly members. The shift signals a significant realignment in the oil-rich state ahead of the 2027 elections.Now fully integrated into the APC, Fubara pledged to foster unity within the party in Rivers State."Now that I am a member, I will ensure that I bring everybody together for more unity and progress of the party in the state. There is now a direction, and there is nothing to worry about," he assured.

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