As Rivers State prepares for its return to democratic governance following six months of emergency rule, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has made a bold political overture to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, inviting him to join its ranks ahead of the September 18 reinstatement ceremony.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Rivers APC spokesman Darlington Nwauju declared the party’s readiness to welcome Governor Fubara, stating: “If I were the governor of Rivers State, on my return on Thursday, I would announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress. We would gladly welcome the governor into our party.”
Nwauju further emphasized that, by APC convention, Fubara would automatically assume leadership of the party in the state upon defection—a move that could dramatically reshape the political landscape in Rivers.
This development comes as President Bola Tinubu and Governor Fubara are both expected to return to Nigeria today, ahead of Thursday’s transition. Tinubu, who had been on vacation in France and the UK, cut his trip short, while Fubara is due back from London.
The handover marks the end of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas’s tenure as Sole Administrator, a role he assumed following the declaration of emergency rule in March 2025. The APC has not called for a probe into Ibas’s stewardship, citing oversight by the National Assembly and a House committee tasked with reviewing the emergency period.