Presidential adviser Daniel Bwala has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress now controls the entire South-South region following Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s dramatic exit from the Peoples Democratic Party. His reaction came shortly after Fubara announced his move to the APC, citing a lack of protection from his former party during a turbulent political crisis in the state.
Fubara said the PDP abandoned him at a time he faced threats to his position and political survival, prompting him to seek support from the Federal Government. According to the governor, the APC offered the assurance and backing he needed as political tensions deepened in Rivers State.
The defection marks one of the most significant political shifts in the Niger Delta since 2023, reinforcing an ongoing wave of PDP losses across the region. Fubara’s move also strengthens President Bola Tinubu’s growing influence in the South-South, historically a stronghold of the opposition.
Reacting to the announcement, Bwala praised the governor on social media platform X. He described Fubara as “my dear friend and brother” and extended a warm welcome to him on behalf of the APC. The presidential aide said the defection signalled a sweeping political realignment in the oil-rich region.
“With joy in my heart, I join all the progressives home and abroad in welcoming His Excellency Sim Fubara,” Bwala wrote. He added, “With this move, we can boldly say the entire South-South is now APC,” framing the development as a victory for the ruling party’s expanding influence.
The presidency has consistently positioned recent defections as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s acceptance and appeal across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. The PDP, meanwhile, faces escalating internal fractures and mounting difficulty retaining key political figures.
Fubara’s defection adds to a pattern of high-profile political realignments as the 2027 election cycle approaches, with both major parties scrambling to consolidate their regional bases.
