Inside The Move: The Real Reason Fubara Defected To APC Ahead Of Wike

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, a move widely viewed as a strategic effort to pre-empt his estranged predecessor, Nyesom Wike, and consolidate control over the APC’s structure in the oil-rich state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Fubara announced his defection during a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, following a closed-door consultation with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Monday. The governor publicly credited Tinubu’s intervention as pivotal in stabilizing his administration, which had briefly faced political suspension.

Speaking at the meeting, Fubara said:
“I know you have been waiting to hear from me. I had to arrange this urgent meeting to ensure it ends well. My visit to Mr. President yesterday was not only personal but also a matter of state interest. I wanted to brief him on the situation in our state, and he has taken note and will act swiftly.

“The most important part of that meeting is what you’ve all been waiting for. We have the green light to make a move. Without Mr. President, there would be no His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara; it would have been the former governor. We have the people, the supporters, and the numbers. Our duty now is to support Mr. President fully, not in isolation or half-heartedly.

“Therefore, with the approval granted, we have made the decision: we are moving to the APC. Everyone who has stood by me, endured with me, will follow.”

Sources within Fubara’s camp told The Whistler that the defection was advised by political strategists, who encouraged him to join the APC before Wike, despite the FCT Minister’s alignment with the federal ruling party. The main aim, they explained, was to secure control of the APC in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The strategy also leveraged Wike’s ongoing internal disputes within the PDP, which reportedly left him isolated and without access to President Tinubu for the past two months.

According to the sources, Fubara was initially hesitant to act, fearing that moving before his former political mentor would be perceived as disrespectful and could reignite recent tensions. “The governor was concerned that joining the APC first might be seen as betrayal or repeating past patterns that caused their earlier conflict,” the source said.

Ultimately, his advisers persuaded him that the move was necessary to safeguard his political future. Fubara’s team expects his supporters and loyalists across the state to follow suit, effectively positioning him as the new leader of the APC in Rivers State.