Amid wide speculations and reports that the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, may defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the state chapter of the APC has stated that its arms are wide open to receive the embattled governor.
Speaking through his Chief of Staff on Tuesday, the reinstated chairman of the Rivers State APC, Chief Emeka Beke, said that both Fubara and the party stands to gain a lot from such union should it materialise.
This remark is coming on the heels of insinuations of a truce between Tinubu and Fubara having a major condition that the latter would join APC to put an end to his political tribulations. The meeting where this alleged resolution was made reportedly took place in London, United Kingdom.
The Rivers APC Chairman’s Chief of Staff, Enyi Eze, said the party is ready to give Fubara a warm embrace.
“Sure, we will welcome the governor. Do we have an option? Welcoming the governor into the party will mean the APC gains a strategic advantage in Rivers State,” he said.
He observed that states ruled by opposition parties often face funding challenges owing to lack of synergy with the Federal Government.
According to him, Fubara’s defection would give the APC greater leverage and visibility in the state’s governance.
“As the governor of Rivers State, he automatically becomes the leader of the party at the state level. This would also allow the APC to play a key role in state programmes and functions,” he added.
Beke further expressed his readiness to offer guidance to Fubara on how to deliver the dividends of governance and better the lives of Rivers people.
He explained that while the APC, as the opposition, had previously withheld such advice, the dynamic would change should the governor join the party.
“As an opposition party, we have what it takes to help the governor do better than what he is currently doing. But we have kept our suggestions as part of our ideology. If the governor joins us, we’ll open our hearts to him and offer input on how to improve the lives of Rivers people and others residing in the state,” he said.
