Fubara Camp Reacts as Supporters Defect to ADC in Rivers State
Supporters and loyalists of suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara have reportedly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raising fresh questions about the governor’s political future. The defections come after opposition leaders, including former governor Rotimi Amaechi, adopted the ADC as a political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The ADC was formally launched in Rivers State on July 23 during a major event in Port Harcourt, where Amaechi and other top opposition figures gathered to unveil the party’s state chapter. According to insider sources, the defection wave was significant, with many of Fubara’s political allies leaving the PDP for the newly adopted platform. The same source hinted that Fubara himself may also exit the PDP upon his return to office, though it remains unclear whether he would join the ADC coalition or align with the ruling party at the national level.
In response to the developments, Sydney Gbara, the Publicity Secretary of the Fubara-led faction of the PDP in Rivers, dismissed concerns about the defections, emphasizing that the party remains intact under the governor’s leadership—at least for now. “For now, the governor has not told me or anybody that we will be joining the coalition. So we are very much in PDP. If the governor comes up today and says we are joining the coalition or APC, I will follow him,” Gbara stated.
Reacting to the departure of some party members, Gbara downplayed the significance of the shift, saying political allegiance is ultimately a matter of personal choice. “People are free to take their support to wherever they want to. But there are others who are looking up to their leaders. Whatever he does is what they do. Many of us have decided to be with the governor and whatever interests he shares, will be our interests too,” he added.
Governor Fubara, who was suspended on March 18, 2025, alongside his deputy and state legislators over unresolved political tensions in the state, is expected to return to office in September.
