Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara meets President Tinubu amid APC defection speculation and outlines upcoming project inaugurations
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Monday, amid rising speculation about a possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
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Our correspondent observed the governor walking towards the President’s office at 5:01 p.m., dressed in a deep-blue long-sleeve shirt, black trousers, and a black flat cap.
Minutes earlier, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru had attended a separate engagement with the President. Details of both meetings remain undisclosed.
The visit follows a high-profile political shift in Rivers State, where 17 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC on 5 December, altering the balance of power in the state legislature.
The only three legislators considered loyal to Fubara have not resumed sitting since the six-month emergency rule ended on 18 September, deepening uncertainty over the governor’s political future.
Months earlier, Fubara was reinstated following the end of the emergency rule imposed by President Tinubu on 18 March.
Nwifuru, a former Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, engaged the Presidency on matters of infrastructure and security coordination in the South-East.
Meanwhile, Fubara is set to inaugurate 10 new projects across six local government areas, though the new Rivers State House of Assembly complex—originally slated for commissioning this month—was excluded from the list.
Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba, disclosed the planned projects at a news briefing in Port Harcourt, noting that site inspections had confirmed near completion of several key works, including the Ahoada-Omoku Road extension, the Egbeda-Omerelu Link Road, and the Ikwerre Road-Igwuruta-Airport project.
Other projects include the Ogbakiri Junction-Roundabout to Ogbakiri Waterfront Road, Ipo Town-Airport bypass, Ahoada Zonal Hospital, and permanent secretaries’ quarters.
Anabraba reiterated Fubara’s commitment to delivering democratic dividends, assuring residents of safety and continued governance. “From 10 to 23 December, the projects to be commissioned and flagged off will cover Ahoada East and West, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ikwerre, Emohua, Obio/Akpor, and Port Harcourt City LGAs,” he said.
He praised President Tinubu for facilitating Fubara’s return to office, describing the intervention as pivotal for the resumption of governance and ongoing development in Rivers State.
“Despite the interregnum in democratic governance, we have resumed projects in earnest, ensuring that infrastructure, welfare, and peace remain a priority,” Anabraba added.
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The meeting underscores the governor’s strategic engagement with the federal government amid political turbulence and reflects the administration’s focus on delivering infrastructure and maintaining stability across Rivers State.
