Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, has received membership card from Tony Okocha, chairman of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This followed his defection to the party on Tuesday.
Okocha, in the presence of Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation, presented the APC membership card to Governor Fubara at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday, December 12, 2025.
He said he was directed by Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the APC, to present the membership card ahead of Fubara’s formal reception into the party by the National Working Committee (NWC).
He congratulated the governor on joining the APC, assuring him of the party’s full support.
“As your servant here and chairman of the party in the state, we welcome you wholeheartedly and will be at your beck and call,” Okocha said.
He noted that Fubara’s defection had reopened familiar political bonds in the state and expressed delight that stakeholders were uniting under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Read also: Fubara announces defection to APC, cites ‘support for Mr President’
Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State governor, while receiving the card, promised to ensure that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid is smooth and unencumbered in the state.
Fubara said he has every reason to support Bola Tinubu, noting that the President’s sacrifices were instrumental to the survival of his administration. He explained that joining the APC was his way of openly identifying with Tinubu and reciprocating the President’s support.
He said: “We can’t be doing our own here and be on a different course from the Federal Government, the ruling party. There is every reason to support Mr President. If not for anything else, I know the sacrifices he has made to ensure we still stand as a government.
“So, I took this decision as a returned favour, clearing the path to ensure that his re-election in 2027 will be easy and smooth in this state. Now that we are all in one party, the job will be easier as we continue what we promised Mr President,” he said.
Fubara said his decision to defect was driven by the desire for the safety, protection, progress, and development of Rivers State.
He asked Okocha to assure the APC National Chairman, “that we will do everything to keep APC as the main and active progressive party in Rivers State. From this minute, it becomes my responsibility to ensure that the party is properly taken care of. Every need of the Exco and the party in this state is now my responsibility.”
Fubara urged his supporters to intensify efforts in promoting Tinubu’s achievements ahead of the 2027 election, adding, “I have never led you wrongly. I take time before making decisions, and every decision I’ve taken has been for the safety of our state. So I call on everyone to double their support.”
