Friday, June 6, 2025 - President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has said there is nothing wrong with Governor Siminalayi Fubara defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), if it helps resolve the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s
Morning Brief, Okaba responded to speculations following Fubara’s recent
meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.
“There’s nothing wrong about that,”
he said. “At this point, we must be realistic and understand the nature of
Nigerian politics. We don’t have political parties in the real sense
anymore—what we operate is a ‘malutocracy.’ These are just platforms for political
contestation, where individuals oscillate from one place to another.”
He noted that it’s not uncommon for governors and
high-ranking politicians to switch parties for strategic reasons, sometimes
threatening subordinates with consequences if they do not follow suit.
Okaba also referenced Governor Fubara’s earlier statement
expressing his willingness to do whatever it takes to restore peace to Rivers
State.
President Bola Tinubu had on March 18 declared a state of
emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu,
and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for six months. He also
appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as the state’s administrator to
oversee governance during the period.
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