Citizenship News
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state on Wednesday said he was totally abandoned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his political crisis, adding that more than 90% of what he passed through was caused by the party.
Fubara who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) spoke Wednesday night when he paid a courtesy visit on national leadership of the party in Abuja.
“If I have to be honest, was I really a member of the PDP? I wasn’t. Whatever I suffered during the political crisis, 90% of it was imposed on me by the party. I was in my former party, just there. During the crisis, you can’t associate me with any group. I was just, let me say, at the balcony—I wasn’t inside the house; I was outside, at the balcony.”
The governor who was accompanied on the visit by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo said as a bonafide member of the APC, he was at the party Secretariat to familiarize himself with the members and to know how the party operates.
Governor Fubara used the occasion to reiterate his position in ensuring that President Bola Tinubu not only succeeds in his administration, but also to win the 2027 presidential election.
“So, I am here this evening, to assure you that I have come in, and we will work together to ensure that this party becomes greater than it is. The greatness we all desire from this party is the success of Mr. President. We cannot grow or expand if Mr. President is not succeeding. I can assure you that we are already showing evidence of success in my state through what we are delivering and the number of people affirming their support.
“Because you are standing with Mr. President, we are now standing with Mr. President. This evening, on behalf of the good people of Rivers State, my supportive members of the National Assembly, and members of the State Assembly who are with us, I can assure you that your new home is Rivers State.
“I will be inviting you over so that you can also come. I am saying now that I have come to my father’s house to see how it is. I am now in my father’s house, but it will also be proper for the father to come to his son’s house, so that the people of Rivers State will know that this is truly a complete process. I will leave it at this this evening, but let me end by thanking every one of you for your time and assuring you of the total support of my government and the people of Rivers State.”
On his defection from the PDP, Fubara said it was very easy because it was a way of showing gratitude to President Tinubu for all his support during the crisis that rocked the state.
“I think my transition was one of the easiest things I’ve done in my life. I call it easy because saying thank you is very simple. Showing appreciation and gratitude is easy. My joining the state of the Progressive Congress is to say thank you to Mr. President and to join hands with other progressives to develop my state and Nigeria at large. It wasn’t a difficult decision; it was easy. If you know my story, you should understand that.
Responding, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Yilwatda Nantawe, who was represented by the National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru welcomed the governor to the Secretariat and assured him that the party will give him all the support he needs to succeed.
Nantawe remarked that with the defection of Gov. Fubara, the entire South South geopolitical zone now belongs to the APC.
“I will say that, as a party, we are very happy that you have decided to join because, with your orientation, you are progressive and true, and, of course, you complete the circle for us in the South-South region. The geopolitical zone is the first that is completely APC. For people who are political watchers, if you have the South in any political party, I think the strength and the energy of that political party are more than half the power”.
Sen. Basiru further mocked the opposition political parties for their inability to dislodge the APC, saying they cannot defeat the party because of the dividends of democracy which the government of President Tinubu is providing.
“We take politics very seriously. So when some people go around and say whatever they want to say, elections are not won on Twitter or in the pages of newspapers. Elections and politics are very serious business. Our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is not just a good administrator; he is a corporate leader and a politician. Coming fully to join him in the renewal of the agenda, as the day goes by, APC 2027 victory is assured”, he concluded.
