Lagos PDP vice chairman says Rivers governor will not be missed
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the high-profile defection of the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
The reaction came from Mr Hakeem Olalemi, the Vice Chairman, Central, of the PDP in Lagos State. Mr Olalemi swiftly dismissed any notion that the party would feel the loss, stating that Governor Fubara would “not be missed” by the PDP structure.
The governor announced his decision to dump the PDP for the APC at a stakeholders meeting held on Tuesday. The crucial announcement took place at the Government House in Port Harcourt, marking a significant political shift in the South-South region. This defection follows months of intense political infighting that had plagued the state’s executive and legislative arms of government.
Defection driven by governor’s quest for political protection
According to Mr Olalemi, Governor Fubara’s decision to switch parties was purely a personal calculation. He stressed that the move was primarily driven by the governor’s acute quest for political protection and security. Mr Olalemi indicated that Governor Fubara believed that President Bola Tinubu was the only one capable of offering the safety he sought.
The PDP chieftain noted that every individual possesses the right to belong to whichever political platform they deem fit. He was firm in his belief that the governor’s calculation was solely motivated by his need for political cover in the face of ongoing power struggles. This assessment sharply contrasts with the official party stance that Fubara was a firm member of the PDP.
Governor Fubara himself corroborated this narrative, though from a different perspective, by stating that he chose to leave the PDP to support President Tinubu. He added a highly consequential detail, suggesting that without President Tinubu’s timely support, he would have ceased to be the incumbent governor. This acknowledgment reveals the depth of the crisis and the political vulnerability he faced before making the switch.
The internal crisis in Rivers State had escalated to the point where the governor’s political survival was deemed to be dependent on external intervention. The defection serves as the ultimate resolution to the protracted feud that paralyzed governance for a considerable period. The APC gains a sitting governor, drastically altering the political landscape in one of Nigeria’s most crucial oil-rich states.
PDP leadership dismisses claims of national party links
Mr Olalemi actively dismissed claims suggesting that Governor Fubara’s move was rooted in the persistent internal issues facing the PDP at the national level. He firmly maintained that the political problem in Rivers State was a localized dispute. He insisted that the specific political challenges predated the broader issues currently confronting the PDP on the national stage.
The Lagos chieftain further argued that the problems facing the PDP nationally persisted largely due to the refusal of certain key individuals to follow due process. He cited the consistent disregard for the party’s foundational constitution as the primary reason for lingering instability. He expressed strong confidence that the PDP would overcome these internal hurdles and soon stabilize on the path of progress.
Regarding the assertion that the party would not miss Governor Fubara, Mr Olalemi offered a straightforward explanation. He stated that the governor had not been actively involved in key party affairs for some time. His lack of engagement meant his exit would not create a significant operational void within the party structures or its central activities. The PDP ultimately wished Governor Fubara well in what it termed his new political journey.
Broader implications for rivers state politics and the APC
The defection of a sitting state governor is always a seismic event in Nigerian politics, particularly in a high-stakes state like Rivers. The governor’s decision immediately hands the APC a massive political advantage ahead of future elections. It solidifies the ruling party’s presence in a territory traditionally considered a stronghold of the PDP.
The political shift is expected to have far-reaching consequences for the distribution of political patronage and influence within the state. All political appointments and state resources will now be aligned with the national ruling party, potentially strengthening the APC’s grassroots structure. This development completely alters the dynamics of the state’s upcoming governorship primary, which is now significantly more open.
For the PDP in Rivers State, the loss of a sitting governor necessitates a complete and urgent restructuring of its leadership and strategy. The party must now work hard to rebuild its base and select a credible, unifying figure capable of challenging the now-entrenched power of the APC in the next electoral cycle. The defection forces the party to become a robust opposition, a role it had not occupied in the state for years.
The national PDP will view this as a setback, even while downplaying the magnitude of Fubara’s contribution. The exit of a sitting governor tarnishes the party’s image as a unified national platform and fuels speculation about further defections from its ranks. Nevertheless, the party is expected to maintain its narrative of resilience, focusing on consolidating its structure in the remaining states under its control. The focus remains on accountability and adherence to the party constitution to prevent future internal bleeding.
