Amaopusenibo of Opobo Kingdom, Eugene Minema, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of abandoning the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television, the monarch applauded Fubara’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a necessary step taken in the interest of peace.
He asserted that the PDP abandoned Fubara both at the national and state levels during his political crisis, leaving him with little choice but to seek a new political path.
“The person we are talking about, Governor Sim, was actually thrown off board. Rivers State is a core PDP state, but he found himself in a situation where he was sailing alone. Nobody came to his rescue.
“The entire party abandoned him, whether we like it or not. The hierarchy of the party, from Abuja down to the state, never came to say, ‘we stand by you firmly.’ So he found himself wandering in the desert,” he stated.
According to the Opobo traditional ruler, Fubara’s defection was a calculated and mature decision driven by the need to protect the state from prolonged instability.
“He had to think of what was the best thing to do. The best thing at that point was to disengage himself from the PDP because it was already a house on fire. He tried his best to put out that fire, but it wasn’t working,” Minema said.
He also credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for intervening decisively at a critical moment in Rivers State’s crisis, insisting that the governor’s alignment with the APC was both strategic and appreciative.
“The President did so much for him, especially when he was in his greatest problem. Without the President, we will have no Fubara today. All was set to impeach him, but the President intervened at the right time and called everybody to order,” he said.
On the benefits of aligning with the ruling party at the centre, Minema said Rivers State stands to gain significantly.
“A lot is to be gained. Whether we like it or not, you need the centre to be by you anytime. The simplest way the governor can say thank you to the President is what he has done, by joining the APC,” he added.
He further insisted that governance under Fubara was already yielding results, pointing to the governor’s active project inspections and commissioning across the state.
“Good governance is already on course. Since he resumed, he’s hardly in the office. Every other day he is on the road inspecting and commissioning projects. What else do you want from a governor?” Minema asked.