The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted sharply to the defection of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, describing his move to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as “a self-inflicted injury” and “an uneventful defection.” The party issued the statement on Tuesday through its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, following Fubara’s formal announcement that he had left the PDP for the ruling APC.
Governor Fubara, who publicly defected earlier this week, said he left the PDP because the party failed to protect him during the intense political crisis in Rivers State. He also claimed that the APC and President Bola Tinubu offered him support at a critical moment.
But the PDP, in a strongly worded statement, rejected Fubara’s claims and accused him of rewriting history. According to the party, the governor is solely responsible for the path that led to his defection.
“This news, as pitiful as it is, is an exemplar of the old legal maxim volenti non fit injuria—‘to one who is willing, no harm is done,’” the statement read.
The PDP said Fubara “willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination,” adding that he cannot now accuse the party of abandoning him or failing to protect him.
The party insisted that since the political crisis in Rivers State began, the PDP, civil society groups, and Nigerians across different sectors defended Fubara’s mandate and legitimacy. The party said it stood by him at key moments, including during the split in the Rivers State House of Assembly and the attempt to impeach him in late 2023.
The PDP suggested that Fubara’s new narrative may be the result of political pressure or emotional strain from the crisis.
“Whilst a person who is at a crossroad of threats of existential proportion will most likely suffer from temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the Governor should have nothing less than praise for our party,” the statement added.
The party also issued a subtle warning, saying it hopes the governor will not fall into “Stockholm Syndrome”—a condition in which a victim develops sympathy for his captors.
“In all, despite these, we pity the Governor and wish him well,” the party concluded in its opening remarks.
The response comes amid months of political tension in Rivers State, where Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have been locked in a fierce power struggle. The crisis erupted shortly after Fubara assumed office, splitting the state’s political structure into warring factions.
Some lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC, the House of Assembly was divided, court cases emerged on both sides, and parts of the Assembly building were destroyed.
President Tinubu intervened in December 2023, leading to an agreement that temporarily eased tensions. However, disagreements resurfaced, and by late 2024, political observers noted that Fubara and Wike had completely severed ties.
The governor’s eventual defection to the APC on Monday marked a new chapter in the crisis and set the stage for a shifting political landscape in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Beyond Fubara’s defection, the PDP used the opportunity to warn Nigerians about what it described as the “dysfunctional nature” of the country’s democracy. The party said the events in Rivers State reflect a dangerous trend where powerful individuals and institutions use federal might to weaken opponents.
“The Rivers situation is a testament to the dysfunctional nature of our democracy, where individuals are bigger and stronger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to suffocate political life out of their opponents,” the statement said.
It warned that democracy is “terribly threatened” when institutions fail to act independently.
The PDP noted that the ruling APC has continued to display actions that suggest a desire to establish a one-party state by weakening opposition structures across the country. The party described this as a direct attack on Nigeria’s democratic future.
The statement further expressed concern that the political environment is becoming increasingly constrained for opposition parties. According to the PDP, the actions of the ruling party show a clear pattern aimed at reducing political competition.
“With the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party toward the attainment of a one-party state… democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria,” Ememobong said.
The PDP urged Nigerians, civil society groups, and the international community to speak out against what it called a “progressive decline of democratic norms.”
“Everyone must rise together to oppose this ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism,” the party stated.
For the PDP, the challenge will be rebuilding its structure in Rivers State while preparing for a tough 2027 electoral battle.
