Rivers PDP unfazed over claims of Fubara’s possible defection to APC

By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt

Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says it remains unfazed over the allegation of the possible defection of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the party to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The party said as an individual, the governor has every legitimate right to take any political interest that he deems fit as far as such decision or action would be to the overall interest of the Rivers people who elected him as their governor against other interests.

Recall that while the six months emergency rule declared on March 18 which ended on September 18 lasted, one of the items on the peace agreement Fubara was alleged to have signed in June, was that he should defect to the APC, a move many saw as the surest way of capturing Rivers State for President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid in 2027.

In a telephone conversation on Wednesday, the chairman of the Rivers State PDP, Dr. Robinson Ewor said whatever decision the governor takes, “is personal”.

He added that he was not aware of such plan neither has the governor informed him of his intention to leave the party.

To confirm the fear of the governor’s possible defection, Governor Fubara was sighted with the chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, ushering the Rivers governor to Tinubu’s office on Monday.

Also striking was the inability of the governor to appreciate or mention the role of his party, the PDP, in ensuring that democracy was returned as against the declaration of emergency rule in the state by the President during his (Fubara’s) statewide broadcast on Friday, September 18 when he resumed duties after six months.

No less than 11 PDP governors had dragged the APC government to court seeking a reversal of the decision while other prominent Nigerians voiced out against the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as highly “unconstitutional”.

On the threat by the state House of Assembly to probe the former sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (retd) on the financial profile of the state in six months he held sway, Dr. Ewor said he could not tell the Assembly what to do, noting that “the sole administrator cannot account to the Rivers people. But he can account to the House of Assembly. Rivers people didn’t elect him as their governor.

“Appointment of Ibas was unconstitutional and an act of illegality. It was unnecessary. I am not part of the probe. But it is the right of the House to probe him. If they want to probe him, it is their right to do so and I cannot tell them what to do,” he said.

On whether the peace brokered between Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, will endure, the state PDP chairman said that it would be to the best interest of the entire Rivers people for both parties in the conflict to make public the terms of the agreement.

He however called on all the actors involved to ensure that the present peace effort endures for the overall benefit of the state and its development.

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