In PDP, My Political Crisis Was Imposed On Me – Gov Fubara Speaks Again

Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara has publicly criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in light of the recent crisis he faced. Following a visit to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at their National Secretariat in Abuja, Fubara addressed journalists, asserting that he does not genuinely consider himself a member of the PDP, emphasizing that he has never fully been integrated into the party.

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% of it was imposed on me by the party. I was at 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.”

Fielding questions from newsmen after the visit, Fubara said, “When you say a new member of the Progressive, that is correct, but I’ve always been a progressive at heart. We now have a direction. Maybe before we didn’t have a leader or a governor as the head of the party. Now that I am a member, I will ensure that I bring everybody together for more unity and progress of the party in the state. So nothing to worry about—you have a direction now.

“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.

Earlier, while meeting with the APC National Chairman, 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 today to familiarize 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 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.”

Responding, the party National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who was represented by the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, while appreciating Fubara for joining the party, noted that the South-South was the first that is completely APC, adding that taking over the South-South zone has increased the power of the party ahead of 2027 to 100 percent.

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

“We take politics very seriously. So when some people go around and say whatever they want, 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, the APC 2027 victory is assured.

“I know the national leadership will conduct a proper naming ceremony as our new baby, which will be a very large one. But the more important thing is that our party is a party of discipline, a party of leadership, and a party that respects the line of command. In our party, there is what they call democratic centralism. Yes, there is democracy, but it must be guided by certain values, principles, and policies.

“Today, we are blessed with a very cerebral, calm, and level-headed President, who is also matched with a calm, cerebral, and level-headed National Chairman of our party, who looks at issues objectively without any form of bias.

“As far as we are concerned, Rivers State is going to deliver for us, but it is not that we are afraid of the North, like on paper. That is not true. The bulk of our support is from all over Nigeria. What we are trying to create is a pan-Nigerian political party. We are trying to create what has been lacking in the trajectory of development of Nigeria. We are trying to create an elite consensus for development and progress.”