Jerry Omatsogunwa, Special Assistant on Electronic Media to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed rumours of Fubara’s planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), reaffirming that the governor remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Omatsogunwa expressed skepticism regarding reports, initially published by Arise News, alleging that Fubara, alongside Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, were considering joining the APC as part of a strategic political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
He stated in an interview with DAILY POST, “I doubt if the governor is even aware of the rumoured defection right now that he wants to defect. I doubt if the governor is aware. As it stands now, we are still members of the PDP, and nothing has changed as far as we are concerned right now. That is the stance of things right now.”
Omatsogunwa emphasized, “For now, as we are talking, the governor has not talked about defection. He is still a bona fide member of the PDP. And I can tell you for free that the governor, our Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Governor’s Forum. And that’s how things stand right now. Today is 24 April, 2025, and this is 9:46 am; as it stands right now, the governor is still a bona fide member of the PDP. I don’t know anything about defection.”
Regarding unconfirmed reports of a meeting between Fubara and President Bola Tinubu in London, Omatsogunwa neither confirmed nor denied the meeting, but suggested that such a meeting would be a positive step toward resolving the state’s political issues. He also argued against the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State, asserting that the state is peaceful.
“If you live in the state, you would know that even the sole administrator that came in confirmed that Rivers State is very peaceful and there is no crisis here,” Omatsogunwa stated.
He further accused the sole administrator of attempting to instigate conflict by allegedly appointing loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike as sole administrators across the state’s 23 local government areas.
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, citing a prolonged political crisis and threats to critical national assets. The declaration led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly. This action has been widely condemned by political leaders, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society groups, and Rivers residents, who deemed it unconstitutional.
