In a bold defense of Rivers State's suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Nigeria's Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has argued that any move by Fubara to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should not be viewed as a personal failure, but rather as a consequence of betrayal by his own party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The coalition's stance comes amidst swirling rumors that Fubara has been contemplating a switch to the APC, especially after his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence.

In a strongly worded statement, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, spokesperson for the opposition lawmakers, criticized the PDP for its alleged lack of support and strategic backing for Fubara during his time of crisis. He accused the PDP of betraying the governor by supporting legislative colleagues who decamped to the APC in opposition and by actively attempting to impeach him. According to Ugochinyere, the party's leadership had strategically aligned itself with influential figures such as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, rather than defending Fubara’s interests.

The opposition lawmakers highlighted that since the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and Fubara’s subsequent suspension from office, the PDP had done little beyond issuing perfunctory press statements. Ugochinyere emphasized that the party failed to take concrete steps or show tangible support to assist Fubara amid ongoing political turbulence. Instead, he accused the PDP leadership of being preoccupied with consolidating alliances with Wike, a notable powerbroker and a serving minister in the APC government.

The coalition’s narrative underscores the perception that Fubara’s rumored political realignment is a direct fallout of the betrayal he perceives from his former party. “If Governor Fubara eventually joins the APC, he should not be blamed; it is the PDP that betrayed him,” Ugochinyere declared. “The party gave its structures to Nyesom Wike, a serving minister in the APC, and supported lawmakers clamoring for his removal. PDP’s lack of loyalty left Fubara to face the crisis alone, and all it did was issue condemnations of the President’s action, sometimes in the morning and support for it in the evening.”

The opposition’s stance raises questions about internal party loyalty and the perceived abandonment of Fubara as political tides shifted in Rivers State. Whether the suspended governor will follow through with his reported intention to defect to the APC remains uncertain, but the opposition clearly places the blame on PDP’s alleged betrayal rather than Fubara himself. The unfolding political saga in Rivers State continues to draw attention as stakeholders speculate on the next move in this intricate game of loyalty, power, and betrayal.