The All Progressives Congress has thrown its weight behind Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, ahead of future elections, openly backing him for a second term in office following his move to the ruling party.
The endorsement came as the APC urged voters in Rivers State to mobilise massive support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Fubara, describing the governor as a key political asset whose performance has strengthened the party’s standing in the state.
Speaking during a public engagement in Rivers, APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, praised the governor’s leadership and called on party members and residents to reward the administration with their votes.
His remarks were made at the commissioning of the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters in Elimgbu.
Basiru congratulated both the governor and the party, noting that the quality of governance in Rivers reflects directly on the APC’s image at the national level.
“I congratulate our governor, I congratulate our party because when the governor is doing well, it simply means that our party is doing well,” he said.
He stressed that the most meaningful way to support the governor and the ruling party was through continued electoral backing at all levels.
“But the only way you can compensate the governor, compensate our party people of Rivers State, is to continue to vote for our party, the APC, in all elections.”
The APC scribe expressed strong confidence that Rivers State would deliver overwhelming votes for the party in future polls, including presidential and governorship elections.
“And I know that in the fullness of time, in the general election coming, the votes for our party, the vote for our governor, the vote for our president, will be very massive in Rivers State,” Basiru added.
Governor Fubara’s defection to the APC has reshaped the political landscape of the South-South, a region long considered a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party.
With his move, the ruling party has tightened its grip on the zone, marking a significant shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defection followed months of political tension in Rivers State, which saw a bitter fallout between the governor and his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The crisis resulted in a split House of Assembly, impeachment threats, and eventually a six-month state of emergency imposed by President Tinubu.
Since joining the APC, party leaders have intensified efforts to position Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers State and a central figure in its electoral strategy.
The open call for votes and public endorsements have further fueled speculation that the party is preparing the ground for his second-term bid.
Basiru’s comments also align with earlier statements credited to former presidential aide and ambassadorial nominee, Ita Enang, who indicated that there was an understanding within the APC leadership to offer automatic return tickets to governors who defected to the party.
By directly linking party loyalty with sustained support for Fubara’s administration, the APC leadership appears to be sending a clear signal about its plans for Rivers State.
In a related development, the National Security Adviser visited Governor Fubara in Port Harcourt on Monday, conveying President Tinubu’s satisfaction with the governor’s leadership style and handling of security-related matters in the state.
The visit was widely interpreted as another sign of growing federal confidence in Fubara’s administration amid ongoing political realignments in Rivers State.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.