“I Am APC Leader in Rivers, My Membership Number Is 001” – Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared himself the leader of the party in the state after receiving membership card number 001.

Fubara defected to the ruling party on Tuesday, hours after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He said his decision to join the APC was driven by the need to give full support to the President and align Rivers State with the federal government.

The governor made his declaration while inaugurating the Igwuruta–Airport Road and flagging off the bypass linking the airport and tollgate. He stated that his membership of the APC was not symbolic, stressing that he had fully committed himself to the party’s leadership and objectives in the state.

According to him, the message of his defection was clear and focused on ensuring a smooth victory for President Tinubu in Rivers State during the 2027 general election. He said the only way to show appreciation to the President was through sustained political support, adding that work toward that goal had already begun. Fubara assured supporters that his administration would continue to partner with groups and individuals committed to the President’s agenda.

The governor also pledged that his government would remain focused on projects and actions that would bring development, pride, and positive recognition to Rivers State, noting that he would not associate with anything capable of tarnishing the state’s image.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Chief Festus Keyamo (SAN), who inaugurated the projects, described Fubara’s defection as a major political gain for the APC in the South-South. He said the party had anticipated a modest gain but instead secured what he called a political “elephant” with the governor’s decision to join.

Keyamo praised President Tinubu’s leadership and reforms, which he said had made the APC increasingly attractive across the South-South. He noted that the region, which once had no APC-controlled states in 2015, was now fully aligned with the ruling party. According to him, Rivers State has historically progressed when aligned with the federal government, and the governor’s decision marked a return to that tradition for the benefit of the people.