Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, has declared himself the number one member of the All Progressives Congress in the state, saying the 2027 general election will be a smooth ride for Tinubu.
Fubara made the statement on Friday during the flag off of the Rivers airport bypass project, where he publicly confirmed his full defection to the APC.
“Today, I am very happy. I am not just a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), I am the number one. I have collected my [membership] card and the form is 001,” he said.
He added that his loyalty to the party and to the president is total. “So, from this moment, I am there [in APC] with all my chest and heart. The message is clear: We are going to do everything to make the 2027 election for Mr president a smooth ride in Rivers state.”
Fubara urged supporters to stand with him and ensure the state delivers solid results in the election. According to him, supporting Tinubu is the best way to show gratitude. “How do we do it? It is with all of you here. With your support. The only way we can continue to tell Mr President thank you is to support him,” he said.
His move to the APC came just days after 15 members of the state assembly, including the speaker, Martin Amaewhule, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling party.
However, political tension continued to rise in the state. On Thursday, the assembly accused Fubara of unapproved spending and of allegedly awarding contracts to his cronies.
The allegation surfaced barely 24 hours after Fubara insisted there was no lingering dispute between him and the assembly. He described claims that he refused to engage lawmakers as “pure lies.”
The governor maintained that he has made several attempts to meet with the assembly leadership since his reinstatement in September but that no meeting had been scheduled.
The speaker denied this, saying members of the assembly met with Fubara in September at the instance of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and accused the governor of abandoning the agreements reached at that meeting.
