The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown open its doors to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declaring that he would instantly become the party’s leader if he defects.
APC spokesman Darlington Nwauju made the dramatic plea on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday.
“If I were the governor of Rivers State, on my return on Thursday, I would announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress.
“I think the governor should join the APC, and we would gladly receive the governor into our party,” Nwauju said.
Pressed on whether Fubara would automatically take charge of the APC in Rivers, Nwauju didn’t hold back.
“By the convention of our party, if he joins the All Progressives Congress (APC), he becomes the leader of the party,” he declared.
On the outgoing state Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.), Nwauju stressed that the APC had not demanded a probe of his six-month rule.
“APC has not officially demanded that Ibas give an account of his stewardship for the past six months.
“The budget approval he got was from the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is a committee from the House of Representatives overseeing the period of emergency.
“I do expect that the committee should be able to do due diligence, come up with that report, and tell Nigerians what they found out. It is one of their core mandates in the business of legislations and lawmaking,” he explained.
Meanwhile, both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Fubara are set to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday’s reinstatement ceremony that will end emergency rule and restore democratic governance in Rivers State.
Tinubu cut short his vacation in France, while Fubara is due back from London as Administrator Ibas intensifies handover preparations with a string of transition activities.
