Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says he functioned more as an observer than a core member of the People’s Democratic Party, noting that he was largely excluded from the party’s internal structure.
The governor made the remarks on Wednesday night while addressing journalists at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja, shortly after his formal switch to the ruling party.
“I was in my former party just nominally,” the governor said. “I wasn’t inside the house; I was outside, on the balcony.”
Fubara officially joined the APC on December 9, 2025, a move he described as an act of appreciation and gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he credited with intervening to restore stability in Rivers State during a prolonged political crisis.
According to the governor, the bulk of the challenges he faced while in office were orchestrated by leaders of his former party. He claimed that about 90 per cent of the political difficulties he endured were imposed by the PDP leadership.
Expressing optimism about his new political alignment, Fubara said joining the APC—described by him as the “progressive family”—would provide Rivers State with clearer direction and stronger leadership.
“We now have a direction. Maybe before, we didn’t have a leader or a governor as the head of the party. Now that I am a member, I will ensure that I bring everybody together for more unity and progress,” he said.
