Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He announced the decision on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, explaining that his move was to fully align with President Bola Tinubu.

According to the governor, real support for the President must go beyond informal backing. He said it was important to belong to the same political platform in order to work effectively with the federal government.

Governor Fubara’s defection comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP, which led to the suspension of former Rivers State governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as well as members of his faction.

His move also follows the defection of 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the APC, further reshaping the state’s political landscape.

The development comes months after President Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara during a political rift between him and his political godfather and declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. Fubara, who was suspended in March, returned to office in September after both sides resolved their differences.

[NAN]