Seven months after Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party is yet to formally receive him, a development that has continued to generate reactions across the country.
Governor Fubara announced his defection on December 9, 2025, at the height of the political crisis in Rivers State during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Explaining the move at the time, the governor said his decision was a gesture of reciprocity to fully identify with and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after consultations at the Presidential Villa.
Shortly after joining the APC, Fubara was presented with a membership card by the party’s Rivers State Chairman, Tony Okocha. The governor disclosed that the membership number on the card was 001, a development that sparked celebrations among his supporters, many of whom believed the move would strengthen his political standing, help resolve the crisis in the state, and improve his chances of securing a second term.
However, unlike the established tradition of the APC, where high-profile defectors, especially sitting governors, are welcomed with elaborate ceremonies attended by the Vice President, APC governors, members of the National Working Committee, and other party leaders, Governor Fubara has yet to receive such an official reception.
The delay has become even more noticeable as governors who defected to the APC months after Fubara have all been formally welcomed by the party’s national leadership.
Elanhub recalls that the governors include Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, all of whom have received official receptions into the ruling party.
Although the APC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has declared Governor Fubara the political leader of the party in Rivers State, no official explanation has been given for the continued delay in formally receiving him.
The governor’s defection has continued to attract mixed reactions. While some applauded his decision to join the APC, others criticised the move, arguing that he was unable to secure the party’s governorship ticket for a second term despite reportedly purchasing the nomination form, participating in the screening process, and eventually stepping down, paving the way for the emergence of Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the party’s candidate.
Meanwhile, political tensions in Rivers State appear to have eased, with both camps claiming to have reconciled. The governor recently reinforced that perception when he publicly declared support for the Rainbow Coalition, a political family loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Despite the renewed alliance and apparent peace between the two camps, Governor Fubara is yet to receive the formal APC welcome traditionally accorded to defecting governors.
The development has continued to fuel speculation and debate, with many asking whether the Rivers governor will eventually be officially welcomed into the ruling party.
