The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday blasted the All Progressives Congress over the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating the political crisis that pushed Fubara out of the PDP.
Reactions emerged from both the state and national levels of the opposition party, with leaders insisting that Fubara’s exit neither weakened the PDP nor altered its structure in Rivers State.
On Tuesday, Fubara officially announced his defection from the PDP to the APC.
Fubara joined Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno; Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; and his Bayelsa counterpart, Duoye Siri, all of whom defected from the opposition PDP.
With Fubara’s official declaration, all six states in the South-South – Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Cross River – are governed by the APC.
Fubara, speaking during an emergency stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, said he left his former party for two reasons: first, that the main opposition party could not protect him, and second, that he is still being addressed as “His Excellency, the Governor,” rather than “former governor,” because of President Bola Tinubu.
At the meeting held 24 hours after visiting the Presidential villa, Abuja, Fubara said his defection was in the interest of the state.
