The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for leaving the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing his defection as “pitiful” and a sign of democracy under threat.
Fubara formally announced his defection on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, a day after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The governor explained that the move was intended to “fully identify” with President Tinubu, asserting that partial or “backyard” support was no longer sufficient.
“We cannot support the President if we do not fully identify with him,” Fubara said, adding that the PDP failed to offer the protection he expected during the state’s prolonged political crisis.
His defection follows a period of political upheaval in Rivers State. In March, President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara, his deputy, and the entire House of Assembly. A retired Navy Vice Admiral, Ibok-Ette Ibas, was appointed interim administrator. Fubara returned to office after a reconciliation process mediated by the President, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and state lawmakers.
In reaction, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said Fubara’s troubles were “self-inflicted” and that he should not blame the party. “The governor willingly travelled the path that led him here. Having done so voluntarily, he cannot now accuse our party of abandoning him,” Ememobong said. He further warned against “Stockholm Syndrome,” cautioning the governor against identifying with those who pressured him.
The PDP also decried the broader implications of Fubara’s defection, describing it as evidence of a “dysfunctional democracy” in which powerful individuals use federal resources to influence political outcomes. The party said such developments point to a narrowing of Nigeria’s political space and the dangers of a creeping one-party state.
Fubara’s move adds him to a growing list of South-South PDP governors who have defected to the APC, including Delta State’s Sheriff Oborevwori, Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno, Enugu’s Peter Mbah, and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri — a trend that the PDP says has weakened its influence in the region.
“The Rivers situation exemplifies how individuals can overshadow institutions, and democracy is seriously threatened by such acts,” the party said, urging Nigerians and the international community to resist attempts to constrict political space and erode democratic norms.
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