Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that he will deliver the state for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The governor made the declaration at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday after receiving his All Progressives Congress membership card from the State APC Chairman, Tony Okocha.
He also said he would be responsible for the wellbeing and needs of the party in the state.
Fubara said as the party’s leader in Rivers, he would do everything to keep the ruling party active, including ensuring that members of the state executive were properly “taken care of.”
Fubara had on Tuesday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC, a few days after 17 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly joined the ruling party.
He said that with him steering the party, it would be easier to galvanize support to deliver Rivers for Tinubu’s reelection.
Speaking after taking his APC membership card, the governor explained that his decision to join the APC was in the interest of the progress of the state.
He added that his defection was a reciprocation of Tinubu’s resolve to ensure he remained in office as governor.
Fubara said, “Let me thank my chairman for accepting to embark on this spiritual assignment. It is a spiritual assignment because if you had listened to me when I took this decision, it was for the safety, protection, progress, and development of our dear state.
“We can’t be doing our own here and going on a different course from the Federal Government, the ruling party. There is every reason to support Mr President. If not for anything else, as a person, I know the sacrifice he has made to ensure that we still stand as a government.”
“So, I took this decision as my own return of favour—clearing the bush to ensure that his reelection in 2027 will be easy and smooth in this state. Now that we are all in one party, the job is easy to continue what we have promised Mr President.
“We will do everything to keep APC as the main and active progressive party in Rivers State. We are not only going to stop there; it is my responsibility from this minute to ensure that the party is properly taken care of. I assure you that every need of the executive, every need of the party in this state, becomes my responsibility.”
Speaking at the flag-off of the construction of the By-pass to Port Harcourt International Airport and Toll Gate Road by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, Fubara declared himself the “001” of the APC in Rivers.
“I am the number one. Listen, I have collected my card and the number is 001. The message is clear. We’re going to do everything to make sure that the 2027 election for the president will be a smooth ride in Rivers State.
“How do we do it? It is with all of you here. It is your support. The only thing we can do is to continue to tell Mr President, thank you.”
Speaking before flagging off the road construction, Keyamo said, “For us in the aviation industry, you (the governor) have solved one of our biggest problems.
“That road had been in a deplorable condition, and we have always wanted to give it a facelift so that those arriving at Port Harcourt — one of our international and oldest airports — will have a good impression of the city they are entering.
“So, we have been begging you to help us do it. And I’m sure when we leave here, everybody will see that you have done it for us.”
Keyamo described Fubara’s defection as a major political catch. He added that with Fubara joining the APC, the ruling party now controls all six South-South states, describing the governor as “an elephant and the latest catch.”
