PDP Accuses APC of Engineering Rivers Crisis After Fubara’s Defection

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lashed out at the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating the political turmoil that forced him out of the opposition.

Reactions erupted at both state and national levels of the PDP following Fubara’s official switch to the APC on Tuesday. Party leaders insisted that his exit neither weakens the PDP nor alters its political structure in Rivers State.

Fubara’s defection adds him to a growing list of former PDP governors who have crossed over to the APC, including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno, Enugu’s Peter Mbah, and Bayelsa’s Duoye Siri.

With Fubara’s move, 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 in Port Harcourt, barely 24 hours after visiting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Fubara said his defection was driven by two major reasons: the PDP’s inability to protect him politically and the backing he currently enjoys from the President.

He described his visit to Tinubu as a strategic move to avoid political pitfalls, saying he briefed the President on developments in Rivers State and received assurances of support.

“The signal we have been waiting for has finally arrived. We now have full support. We are leaving where we were because we didn’t get protection,” Fubara told his supporters.

He added that without Tinubu’s intervention, he would no longer be governor, stressing that his loyalty to the President demanded more than silent support.

Immediately after the announcement, chants filled the hall as the governor ordered the removal of the PDP flag from the Government House, declaring that formal processes for his defection would commence immediately.

Several top government officials and political allies were present at the meeting, including the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba; former SSG, Dr Tammy Danagogo; and former ambassador, Oji Ngofa.

Reacting nationally, the PDP described the Rivers situation as a clear example of a broken democratic system where powerful individuals overpower institutions using federal influence. National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was sliding dangerously toward a one-party state.

“Democracy is under severe threat. The shrinking of political space and the push toward a one-party system are deeply dangerous to the future of the nation,” he said.

While expressing pity for Fubara, the PDP maintained that his political predicament was self-inflicted, arguing that he willingly followed the path that led to his current situation. The party also warned against what it described as a possible case of “Stockholm Syndrome,” where victims develop sympathy for their oppressors.

In Rivers State, factional PDP chairman Robinson Ewor said Fubara’s defection came as no surprise, claiming the APC effectively took over the state during the emergency rule period by installing local government officials and dissolving state boards.

“As far as I’m concerned, the APC captured Rivers long ago. The governor’s exit is only a confirmation of what already happened,” Ewor said.

He, however, insisted that the PDP remains intact and operational in Rivers, just as it does in other states where governors have defected.

The political crisis in Rivers intensified following the fallout between Fubara and his predecessor, now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The standoff eventually led President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in March 2025, suspending the governor, his deputy and the entire state assembly for six months.

Although Fubara returned to office in September, tensions with lawmakers persisted. In early December, 16 assembly members defected to the APC, followed by 22 of the 23 local government chairmen declaring support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Observers believe Fubara’s defection is largely tied to shifting political alliances across the South-South region.