Speculation that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, may dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress has intensified following renewed political turbulence in the state.
On Friday, 17 members of the House of Assembly loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC.
The three lawmakers believed to be loyal to Fubara have not resumed sitting since the six-month emergency rule was lifted.
A former member of the House of Representatives and PDP chieftain, Ogbonna Nwuke, told The Punch that recent political shifts across the South-South suggest Fubara may eventually head towards the ruling APC.
Nwuke, a former Rivers Commissioner for Information, referenced the recent defections of governors in Delta, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa.
He said, “If you look at what is going on in the South-South, governors elected on the PDP platform have decamped. Did we expect the Rivers lawmakers to move? It may have come as a surprise, but when you consider the crisis in the PDP, was it avoidable? Possibly not.
“When a party is bedevilled by crisis, people will naturally look for alternatives. The anti-defection provisions in the constitution recognise differences at the national level, and there are clear indications of such differences in the PDP.”
Nwuke described the PDP’s recent actions, including issuing what he called an unprecedented “expulsion certificate”, as evidence of a party “that has not been this divided in a long time.”
On whether Fubara may join the APC, he added, “There are speculations that the APC has been wooing the governor. Only he can confirm whether he is crossing. But what we’re seeing suggests he may consider leaving the PDP. And if he does, he will not be the first.”
Government House: ‘Fubara Has Shown No Sign Of Defecting’
A senior Government House official, however, dismissed the rumours, saying there is no indication that the governor plans to defect.
The official said, “We are not aware that the governor wants to defect. “Even the lawmakers claiming to have moved to the APC have not fulfilled the Supreme Court requirement of registering at their wards. Until they produce evidence, nobody should take their claims seriously.”
He noted that with the APC convention approaching, anyone intending to join the ruling party at this time “would have shown clear signals.”
“I don’t see any sign and he has not told us he will be joining the APC. Very soon the APC will round off receiving defectors because in December they will hold their convention. If the governor wanted to move, he would have shown signs by now. But let’s keep our fingers crossed.”
Factional PDP chairman in Rivers State, Robinson Ewor, criticised the defectors and vowed that the party would fight to reclaim its mandate.
He said, “My prayer is that they shouldn’t deny again. There is no division in the PDP that justifies their action. What they are holding is the PDP’s mandate.
“We must definitely talk to the remaining PDP lawmakers. And for those who have moved, the party must make an effort to reclaim its mandate. What they are holding is the PDP mandate.”
APC Chair: ‘I’m Not A Soothsayer’
Asked whether the APC would welcome Governor Fubara, the Rivers APC chairman, Tony Okocha, said he had not been contacted by the governor.
“I’m not a soothsayer. The governor has not reached out to me. If I have the opportunity of talking to him, I will advise him to follow his mind. Why put the cart before the horse?” he said.
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