The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday heavily slammed the All Progressives Congress over the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing the ruling party of fueling the political crisis that pushed Fubara out of the PDP.
The opposition party’s state and national leaders responded by stating that Fubara’s departure did not weaken the PDP or change its organizational structure in Rivers State.
Fubara formally declared his switch from the PDP to the APC on Tuesday.
Fubara joined the group of governors that left the opposition PDP, including Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and his counterpart from Bayelsa, Duoye Diri.
Following Fubara’s formal proclamation, the APC is now in charge of all six South-South states: Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, and Cross River.
Speaking at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Tuesday at Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara stated that he left his previous party for two reasons: first, the main opposition party was unable to defend him; and second, President Bola Tinubu still refers to him as “His Excellency, the Governor” rather than “former governor.”
Fubara claimed that his defection was in the best interests of the state during the meeting that took place 24 hours after he had visited the Presidential palace in Abuja.
He emphasized that following their discussion in Abuja on Monday night, he received assurances of the President’s support.
He added that the state had the people, the support, and the numbers to unite around Tinubu while acknowledging that he was still in debt for the affection the President had shown him.
He stated, “Our dear leaders, I know you have been expecting to hear from me, especially this meeting that I had to arrange so urgently. But the meeting is going to end with very sweet information.
“You are aware that I went to see Mr President yesterday, and the reason why I went to that meeting is not just a personal visit, but it is a state interest consultation. I don’t want to make any mistakes this time around.
Read Also: Fubara makes a bold move, defects to APC
“I also wish not to step on any landmine that anyone is laying for us. So I was with Mr President yesterday to brief him on the situation of things in our state, which I believe he had taken note of, and he is going to act swiftly on it.
“But the most interesting part of the meeting is what you all have been waiting for. What you have been asking me for, the signal has finally arrived. We have the full support.
Fubara went on to say that he would not tread on any landmine that was set for him, which is why he visited Mr. President on Monday and gave him an update on the situation in the state.
“We have the positive nod to leave where we are, because we didn’t get any protection. The reason why we are still standing is because of that place.
“And the truth is that without Mr President, there won’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara. It would have been a former governor.
“Our only ‘thank you’ to Mr President is to support him. And we cannot support Mr President in isolation. 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.”
Fubara continued, “Everyone here who has followed me and suffered with me, our decision today, this evening, we are moving to APC.”
After the governor made the announcement, the hall chorused ‘On your mandate we shall stand,’ with the governor singing along and thereafter ordered the removal of the PDP flag in the Government House.
The governor added, “Please remove this PDP flag. We don’t need it here again. Now that our position has been made clear, every other formal process will commence. Let me thank you all for your support.
“I’ve not let you down before, I’m not going to let you down. The message is very simple. We are the ones who will give that support, and we will give that support with a loud ovation because we know that the people of Rivers State are with us. Thank you.”
PDP Furious, Reacts
The Rivers issue, according to the PDP, is evidence of Nigeria’s dysfunctional democracy, where people are more powerful than institutions and may utilize the Federal Government’s machinery to stifle their opponents’ political lives and bring them to their knees.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary under Tanimu Turaki, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was in jeopardy, emphasizing that the ruling party’s drive for a one-party system and the reduction of political space constituted a grave threat.
The party, however, expressed pity for Fubara for defecting to the APC, insisting that his political troubles were self-inflicted, having willingly taken the path that led to his current predicament.
Robinson Ewor, a factional chairman of the PDP in the state, responded to Fubara’s defection by stating that the party was still united and that Fubara’s departure was nothing out of the ordinary.
However, Ewor claimed that even though Fubara had recently declared his defection, he had already quit the PDP long before the emergency rule ended in a phone conversation with news correspondents on Tuesday.
He said that while the emergency rule was in effect, the APC-led government effectively overthrew the governor and took control of the state by dissolving all current boards and agencies, holding local government elections, and installing choices.
The factional chairman loyal to the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, however, said the party remained intact.
“PDP is intact. I remain in PDP. There are other PDP members. So, PDP is one of the registered political parties in the country, in the state.
“There are other states too where the governor defected, and the PDP is still there. States like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, etc. PDP is still in those states, and in Rivers too, the PDP is still here.”
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
