1. Governor speaks on defection to APC

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara yesterday explained why he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said the main opposition party abandoned him during the trying period, when he was suspended from office after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu imposed emergency rule on the state for six months.

Reflecting on his defection, he said it was one of the easiest political decisions he took.

Fubara spoke with reporters after his maiden visit to the National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

Clad in a white kaftan and a black cap to match, the governor who arrived at the secretariat at about 6:50 pm on Wednesday, was received by the National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, National Welfare Secretary, Donatus Nwapa and Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), was also on hand to receive him.

After receiving a copy of the APC Constitution from Basiru, the governor said: “ I am supposed to join the Progressives Governors meeting, but I feel I should come here before the meeting.”

After Fubara’s suspension, Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice in PDP states acting on instruction from the governors, sued the Federal Government through Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

They urged the Supreme Court to upturn the emergency declaration by the President and quash Fubara’s suspension.

The case was disposed of on by the apex court on Monday.

Also yesterday, three pro-Fubara PDP House of Representatives members and another federal lawmaker from the Labour Party (LP) left the PDP for APC.

The governor urged his supporters to transfer their support to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has been endorsed for re-election by the party.

Fubara said he has no regret leaving the PDP, lamenting that the main opposition party was never there for him in his period of trials and tribulations.

He said: “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 percent 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 just outside at the balcony.”

Fubara added: My defection was the easiest thing to do. My joining the APC 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.”

On his visit to the Mohammadu Buhari House, Fubara said: “I can’t belong to a house without first coming into the house and understanding how it is arranged. I felt it would be proper for me to visit the national secretariat to familiarise myself with the members and the operations. This way, when I come here next time, it won’t feel as if I am a new person.”

“So, I am here 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 can not 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.”

Fubara assured the NWC members of his commitment to the party and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying: “Because you (NWC members) are standing with Mr. President, we are now standing with Mr. President.

“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.”

The national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who was represented by Basiru, expressed happiness over Fubara’s defection, thanking him for the decision.

He said: “I will say that, as a party, we are very happy that you have decided to join us because, with your orientation, you are progressive and true, and, of course, you complete the circle for us in the Southsouth region.

“The Southsouth geo-political 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.

“So, we are very confident that you are joining our party. The strength of our party, if it was at Power 15 before, it is now much better—it has become Power 100.”

Fubara loyalists, LP member defects to APC

Three loyalists of the governor and a member of the Labour Party (LP) announced their defection from the PDP to APC, citing the prolonged crisis in the opposition party as reason.

The PDP lawmakers are Boniface Emerengwa, Boma Goodhead and Awaji Nombet Abiante.

Manuchin Umezuruike belonged to the LP.

Their letters of defection were read at plenary by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen.

While Abiante said he was tired of the PDP crisis,.

Umezuruike said he left the party because of the protracted litigations.

Fubara to loyalists: transfer your supports to Tinubu

Fubara urged his loyalists to transfer their support to President Tinubu by re-electing him during the general election.

The governor, who spoke during the inauguration of the Ogbakiri Junction / Waterfront road in Emohua Local Government Area, explained that he held a strategic meeting with APC NWC.

Fubara said President Tinubu’s reelection is a big task, urging the supporters to rise to the occasion as foot soldiers in Rivers.

The governor said he has started mobilising for the President, stressing that with the crowd that came out to receive him, the task was already 70 per cent done in the local government

He hailed Chief David Omereji, an Ogbakiri community leader, for “staking all’ for him and expressed confidence that his supporters would work with those of Omereji to actualise the task ahead.

Fubara, who enjoined the people to maintain peace so that development can spread to all parts of the state, also appeal to them to protect government investments in their domains.

He said: “The task ahead is simple. It might be big, but it is simple because we have started it already. By the grace of God, yesterday I paid a visit to the National Working Committee of our great party and after the meeting they gave me a message that I am giving to all of you. It is a simple message.

“We know that you are very hardworking and you have organic support. So, transfer this support to our leader, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu. I told them in the meeting that they shouldn’t worry but what is important is that we have the right foot soldiers.

“Today, I am happy to say that what I am seeing here with the support of the LGA, from the local government chairman, the chiefs and everyone here, our job is 70% done.

“We need peace, not just in Ogbakiri or Emohua, but we need peace in Rivers State so that development can be spread to all parts. People should learn to protect what is around them. You have a university here. Protect it.”

“You have other things of interest by the state government and some federal assets. Protect them because at the end, the benefit comes to you. I am appealing to everyone of you that we need peace to protect everything that is around us. That is the only way I can come here and make promises and with your support, we will continue to deliver”.

Describing the project as significant, the governor recalled that it was initiated at the most trying period of his administration.

He said: “I can’t forget the circumstances that we were facing at that time. We were commissioning the East-West road to Terma junction and that particular stretch, the Ogbakiri road was an annex to it; Terma-Abalama-Abonnema and the other stretch that leads to Buguma. So, it won’t be nice that we commission this stretch and abandon the other part leading to Ogbakiri.

“ At that time, with the situation that we were in, we made a promise not just to the people of Kalabari, but also to the people of Emohua and Ogbakiri in particular, that we will visit those two aspects of the roads. I am happy today that we are here to commission the one that connects to the Ogbakiri people

“When we made the first payment for this project it was when we had the first court judgment barring us from accessing our federal allocation. But I made a promise when I came here that no matter the situation, God will provide a way for us to finance this project. So, when I say the project is significant and important to us, I know why I say so”.

The governor said the project was an evidence of service delivery, assuring the people that his government would continue to keep its promises.

He said he would consider the request of the council of chiefs on internal roads and a bridge to to ease transportation inconvenience and improve the commercial activities.

Fubara added: “The beauty of this whole thing is that the community gave a very strong support to the contractor and has also chosen the path of peace, the reason you are seeing this level of development. This is a community that was known over the years for crisis and loss of lives. But I am happy that your story is now different.”