Fubara completes APC registration, receives membership card amid tension with Rivers Assembly

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday completed his registration with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and received his membership card, formally cementing his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The move positions him as the automatic leader of the APC in the state.

Speaking at Government House, Port Harcourt, after receiving the card, Fubara said his decision to join the APC was driven by his commitment to the “safety, protection, progress, and sustained development of Rivers State.”

He dumped the PDP—on whose platform he was elected governor in 2023—four days after 17 members of the state House of Assembly resigned from the party and defected to the APC.

Addressing concerns from supporters, Fubara explained that aligning with the ruling party at the federal level was necessary for political stability and accelerated development. He said supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was “not just political alignment,” but also an appreciation for the President’s assistance “in keeping the Rivers State government standing through its most challenging moments.”

With the state and federal government now under one political umbrella, Fubara said the path to strengthening the APC and preparing for 2027 had become “clearer and more achievable.” He assured the party’s national leadership that Rivers State would remain an APC stronghold under his watch, pledging full support for the party structure across the state.

He also thanked supporters and leaders who stood by him and urged them to heighten their commitment as the state enters “a new phase of political consolidation and development.”

Representing the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, the State Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, congratulated Fubara, describing his defection as “sound, patriotic and in the best interest of the state.” He said Fubara’s entry into the APC heralds a new era of unity among Rivers political stakeholders.

The registration documentation, handled by State Secretary Chief Eric Nwibani, was witnessed by the Minister of Aviation, Chief Festus Keyamo, alongside political leaders and close allies of the governor.

Executive–Legislative Tension Deepens

Meanwhile, relations between the governor and the state House of Assembly have continued to deteriorate. The Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, has accused Fubara of abandoning the peace agreement brokered by President Tinubu between him and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Amaewhule said a series of lawsuits filed in recent months appeared aimed at immobilizing the Assembly, preventing lawmakers from “exercising their political options.” He described the litigation as an attempt to stifle political plurality, heighten tension and confuse the public.

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According to him, the Assembly has been operating under “an atmosphere of legal intimidation,” noting that over 50 court cases had complicated its work. “The governor does not want to work with the Rivers Assembly; we will discuss that another day. He rushed to court with over 50 cases just to stop us from joining the APC,” he alleged.

Fubara, however, has dismissed the claims, insisting he has not avoided the lawmakers. He blamed communication gaps on Minister Wike, whom he said had not fixed a suitable time for a meeting.

Wike has yet to comment on Fubara’s defection or the escalating political rift between the governor and lawmakers loyal to him.