PDP warns Fubara against defecting to APC, demands probe of six-month emergency rule in Rivers

As Governor Siminalayi Fubara prepares to return to office following a six-month suspension under emergency rule, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a strong appeal urging him to stay loyal to the party, reject overtures from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and launch a full investigation into how Rivers State was governed during his absence.

Speaking separately on the matter, PDP Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barrister Okechukwu Osuoha, and Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, stressed that Fubara’s return should mark a turning point for the state—one grounded in accountability, unity, and party discipline.

According to Osuoha, the governor’s suspension followed the constitutional declaration of a state of emergency by the President to forestall a total breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.

“The issue is that there was an emergency declaration by the President, constitutionally, which is allowed,” Osuoha explained.

With the emergency period now over, he said there is no legal barrier stopping the governor from resuming his full duties.

“So that means he has to come back to office because the suspension was for six months, and there has been no extension. Therefore, he must return and assume his role as the Executive Governor of Rivers State,” he added.

Osuoha acknowledged legal debates surrounding the suspension of an elected governor under emergency rule but maintained that Fubara’s return should pave the way for reconciliation and governance.

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“Every Nigerian expects a cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of Rivers State, between the Governor and the House of Assembly,” he said. “Let there also be a good relationship between him and his godfather, whoever made it possible for him to secure that position. There must be peace and unity in the state so that development can take place because Rivers has suffered a lot.”

Reaffirming the party’s stance, Osuoha urged Fubara to recommit himself to PDP activities and values.

“He is still a member of the PDP and should participate more fully in party affairs. Party is supreme. If you have any problem, the party will come to your rescue and support you. I want to see him participating fully in PDP so Nigerians will know he belongs to the party,” he said.

Meanwhile, Osadolor took a harder line, warning Fubara against any temptation to defect to the APC and demanding a probe into the administration of the interim governor, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who governed the state during the emergency period.

“The Rivers people will heave a sigh of relief that the illegality wrought upon them will finally be addressed,” Osadolor said. “The only thing I ask of the Governor is that he should not fall for voices calling for political correctness in the name of peace. There is no peace without justice. The onus lies on him to thoroughly interrogate these six months that Admiral Ibas spent in office, appropriating and misappropriating the resources of the Rivers people for whatever interests he might have allegedly served.”

He insisted that any wrongdoing uncovered during this period must be dealt with according to the law.

“Whenever wrongdoing is found, the Governor should not hesitate to make him face the full weight of the law. The last time I checked, he was never elected by the Rivers people, and yet he presided over their resources and taxpayers’ money while Governor Fubara, who was duly elected, was suspended,” he said.

Osadolor also cautioned Fubara against being swayed by vague political promises from the APC, which he believes are designed to sideline him.

“When they are inviting him now, are they inviting him to become the leader of APC in Rivers, or are they promising him their ticket for 2027? These vague offers are meant to lure and bury him politically. He must be smart enough to see through the lines,” he warned.

“Any attempt for him to cross over to the APC will mean legitimising the illegal suspension and putting the final nail in his political coffin.”

He called on Fubara to publicly reaffirm his mandate and maintain his commitment to the party and the people who elected him.

“He must have the moral courage to tell the Rivers people that he will not defect or change his political base,” Osadolor said. “If he has aspirations for the future, he should put those thoughts before the Rivers people and remain loyal to their trust by standing firm through this six-month trial and delivering top-notch governance based on service.”

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