Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking one of the biggest political shifts in the country in recent months. His defection comes with a public display of loyalty as he led supporters in a now-viral song praising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urging others to openly declare their support.
A short video circulating online shows the governor singing: “If you dey support Tinubu, no follow corner-corner. We support Tinubu, we no dey follow corner-corner.” The chant, delivered with confidence and accompanied by cheers from supporters, has become a major talking point across Nigeria.
Fubara announced his move to the ruling APC on Tuesday, December 10, 2025, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt. His defection comes almost two years after the major political crisis that rocked Rivers State in late 2023, where he clashed with powerful forces within the PDP.
Rumours surrounding Fubara’s possible defection had circulated for months, especially after he began aligning more openly with President Tinubu’s administration. The governor, who was elected under the PDP, has repeatedly praised President Tinubu for what he described as “consistent support” since he survived the political battles that threatened to remove him from office in 2023.
During the announcement, Fubara said his decision to join the APC was a “gesture of reciprocity” to President Tinubu. According to him, the President stood by Rivers State during its toughest political moments, therefore it was only right to openly identify with the ruling party.
“We can’t support Mr President if we don’t fully identify with him; not backyard support,” Fubara said. “So, we have taken that decision today since we have gotten a pass. Everyone here who followed and suffered with me, our decision today is that we are moving to APC.”
His comments suggest that the move had been carefully planned and agreed upon with his political allies, many of whom attended the meeting.
Fubara’s defection is another sign of President Tinubu’s continued influence in Rivers State politics. After the 2023 crisis — which involved intense disputes between the governor and some state lawmakers — Tinubu played a central role in brokering peace. Many political observers believe that the President’s involvement helped stabilize the state and secure Fubara’s position.
Since then, Fubara has openly shown appreciation to the President, attending federal events and repeatedly aligning his policies with the national government. The viral song is therefore not surprising to many who have been following developments in Rivers politics.
His move to the APC now formalizes what several analysts have described as an already growing friendship between the governor and the Presidency.
Fubara’s move did not come in isolation. Just days before his announcement, 15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC. Their action completely changed the political landscape in the state assembly.
Two days before the governor declared for the APC, all 32 members of the assembly passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu. In the motion, the lawmakers praised the President’s leadership and even urged him to seek re-election.
The back-to-back events strongly indicated a coordinated political realignment in the state, with the APC gaining significant momentum and the PDP losing its stronghold in one of its most important states.
With Fubara’s exit, the PDP now has only six governors left. The once-dominant party now faces a shrinking presence across the country. To make matters worse, reports indicate that two other PDP governors — Agbu Kefas of Taraba and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau — are also considering joining the APC.
This development puts more pressure on the PDP leadership, which has struggled to keep its members united since losing power at the federal level in 2023. The party has faced internal crises, court disputes, and repeated defections, weakening its influence nationwide.
The political crisis of 2023 in Rivers State reshaped the state’s leadership structure. The conflict involved Governor Fubara and his predecessor’s loyalists in the House of Assembly, who attempted to impeach him. The disagreement led to a series of mass resignations, protests, and court battles.
President Tinubu intervened by calling both sides to Abuja, where a peace agreement was signed. Many key conditions of the agreement later became controversial, but the intervention prevented further instability.
Since then, Fubara has built a stronger political base of his own, separate from the group that opposed him. His defection to the APC is seen as the final step in completely breaking away from his old political structure.
Some APC supporters celebrated his move, calling it a “bold decision” and “a sign of political maturity.” They praised him for acknowledging the support he received from the President during his trying moments.
Others criticized the defection, arguing that it was driven by personal survival rather than any ideological shift. Some PDP members accused him of “abandoning the mandate” given to him by PDP supporters in 2023.
Meanwhile, the viral video of the song has inspired humour across social media, with many people creating remixes, memes, and dance challenges using Fubara’s lyrics. The phrase “no follow corner-corner” has already become a trending slang.
Fubara’s defection marks the beginning of a new political phase in Rivers State. The APC now controls the governor’s office, a large portion of the assembly, and enjoys open support from the state’s political elite.
For the PDP, this is a major symbolic and strategic loss. Rivers State, long considered one of its strongest bases, may no longer remain under its influence.
