Dare Babalola
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), receiving his membership card in a move that marks his official switch to the party.
The membership card was presented to Governor Fubara by Rivers APC Chairman, Tony Okocha, at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
The handover signifies Fubara’s commitment to the party and is seen as a step toward strengthening the APC’s presence in the state.
Recall that Fubara defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party last Tuesday.
Governor Fubara announced his decision to join the APC during a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, citing the PDP’s inability to protect him during the state’s recent political turmoil.
“And the truth is, without Mr. President (Bola Tinubu), there won’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara. It would have been former governor,” he said, expressing gratitude for Tinubu’s support.
He added, “So we have every reason because the truth is, let nobody be fooled in this state, we have the people, we have the supporters and we have the numbers.
“Our only thank you to Mr. President is to support him. And we cannot support Mr. President in isolation.
“And 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 have followed me, who have suffered with me, our decision today, this evening is we are moving to APC.
“Now, that our position has been made clear, every other formal process will commence.”
Fubara’s move follows a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Monday and comes amid a bitter feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
