RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has left the Peoples Democratic Party – PDP. He joined the All Progressives Congress – APC, on Tuesday.
Fubara’s defection comes four days after the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 17 others dumped the PDP for the ruling APC on December 5.
They blamed their departure on the crisis in the PDP.
Others who dumped the PDP were the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt 3), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt 2), Enemi George (Asari-Toru 2), and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1).
Also included were Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru 1), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru 2), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), Gerald Oforji (Oyigbo) and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).
Following the departure of the Speaker and other key members of the House of Assembly, there were reports of mounting pressure on the governor to move to the ruling APC.
The oil-rich South-South region had been a stronghold of the PDP since 1999, but the party’s defeat to the APC in the 2015 presidential election prompted a realignment that forced political heavyweights, including governors, to joined the ruling party.
Before his defection, Fubara was the only governor on the platform of the PDP in the South-South region, following the recent defection of governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) to the APC in April and June, respectively.