The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged residents of Rivers State to deliver overwhelming votes for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, following the governor’s recent defection to the ruling party.
The call was made by the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, while addressing party supporters in the state.
Basiru’s remarks were captured in a video posted on Facebook by Rivers State Television.
The Rivers State Government House disclosed that Basiru spoke on Monday during the commissioning of the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters in Elimgbu.
Congratulating the governor and the party, Basiru said Fubara’s performance in office reflected positively on the APC.
“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.
“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 confidence that Rivers State would deliver massive votes for the party in forthcoming elections, including the presidential poll.
“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.
Fubara’s defection to the APC has effectively placed all states in the South-south region under the control of the ruling party, marking a major political shift in a zone historically dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party.
The governor’s move came days after he visited President Tinubu, following months of political crisis in Rivers State that pitted him against his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The crisis led to a divided House of Assembly, impeachment threats, and a six-month state of emergency declared by the president.
Since Fubara’s defection, APC leaders have intensified efforts to project him as the party’s political leader in Rivers and a major electoral asset ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call for massive votes has also fuelled speculation that the party is positioning the governor for a second term.
A former presidential aide and ambassadorial nominee, Ita Enang, had earlier told Premium Times there was a consensus within the APC leadership to grant automatic return tickets to defecting governors.
Basiru’s comments appeared to reinforce that position, directly linking support for the APC with continued backing for Fubara’s administration.
