Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed to mobilise support in the state to secure President Bola Tinubu’s reelection in 2027. The governor made the declaration after officially joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) and receiving his membership card from the state party chairman, Tony Okocha, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Fubara said he would take personal responsibility for the wellbeing of the party in Rivers State, including supporting state executives and ensuring that the APC remains active and well-organised. He described his defection as a “spiritual assignment,” emphasizing that aligning the state with the federal government is essential for stability, safety, and progress.

“I made this decision for the safety, protection, progress, and development of our state. We cannot pursue our own path while the Federal Government takes a different direction,” Fubara said. He added that his move was also a gesture of appreciation for Tinubu’s support during his tenure as governor.

Declaring himself the “001” of the APC in Rivers State, Fubara pledged to lead efforts to make the 2027 election process smooth and successful. “We’re going to do everything to make the 2027 election a smooth process in Rivers State. The support of party members will be key,” he said.

Fubara’s defection follows the move of 17 lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly to the APC, consolidating the party’s influence in the state. Speaking at the flag-off of the Port Harcourt International Airport By-pass and Toll Gate Road construction, Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo praised the governor’s initiative, noting that the project will improve the city’s impression on visitors and describing Fubara’s defection as a significant political gain for the APC.

With Fubara now in the APC, the ruling party controls all six states in the South-South region, strengthening its political position ahead of the 2027 elections.