By Charles Pemu 
Political turbulence in Rivers State has reached a fever pitch, fueling intense speculation that Governor Siminalayi Fubara may soon leave the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The escalating tension follows the dramatic defection of the majority of the state’s lawmakers, fundamentally shifting the legislative balance of power.
Last Friday, 17 members of the House of Assembly, who remain loyal to the former governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, announced their switch from the PDP to the APC. This massive defection, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, leaves Governor Fubara politically isolated. Uncertainty surrounding his future is deepened by the fact that the only three lawmakers considered loyal to him have not resumed sitting since the state’s six-month emergency rule was lifted.
A PDP chieftain and former member of the House of Representatives, Ogbonna Nwuke, suggested that Fubara’s eventual move to the APC is part of a broader, unavoidable trend in the South-South. Nwuke, who previously served as Rivers Commissioner for Information, noted that governors elected on the PDP platform have recently defected in traditionally strongholds like Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa.
Nwuke argued that the PDP’s deep-seated crisis marked by unprecedented internal actions, including the issuance of “expulsion certificates” has left the party more divided than it has been in a long time. He stated, “When a party is bedeviled by crisis, people will naturally look for alternatives.”
Regarding the Rivers governor, Nwuke confirmed mounting speculation: “There are speculations that the APC has been wooing the governor. Only he can confirm whether he is crossing. But what we’re seeing suggests he may consider leaving the PDP. And if he does, he will not be the first.”
Despite the mounting evidence, a senior official at the Government House, who asked to remain anonymous, dismissed the defection rumours, insisting Governor Fubara has shown no indication of leaving the PDP.
The official also sought to undercut the defection of the lawmakers, arguing that they have not fulfilled the necessary Supreme Court requirement of registering at their wards, suggesting their claims should not be taken seriously. Furthermore, he noted that the APC is soon due to hold its national convention, meaning anyone intending to join the party would typically have shown clear signals by now, which Fubara has not done.
Similarly, the factional Rivers State PDP Chairman, Robinson Ewor, vowed to work towards reclaiming the party’s legislative mandate from the defected members, arguing that there is no division in the PDP that justifies their action. The state APC Chairman, Tony Okocha, remained non-committal, stating he had not been contacted by the governor but would advise him to “follow his mind” if given the opportunity.
The political wrangling continues to manifest in legislative tension. The Amaewhule-led Assembly continues to hold sittings at the lawmakers’ residential quarters along Aba Road, despite Governor Fubara’s insistence that the newly reconstructed Assembly complex will soon be ready for use, potentially for the presentation of the 2026 budget. During their last sitting, Speaker Amaewhule publicly queried the governor’s delay in forwarding a full list of commissioner-nominees, arguing that running the state with only eight commissioners contravenes constitutional expectations.