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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed growing rumors that he has left the All Progressives Congress and switched to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, insisting that he remains fully committed to the ruling party despite rising political tensions in the state.
The governor spoke on Wednesday during an inspection tour of the newly completed General Hospital and renovated Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Rumuigbo, Obiakpor Local Government Area, where he addressed speculation surrounding his political future.
His clarification came at a time when some of his loyalists seeking tickets to vie for seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly were reportedly disqualified by the APC screening committee, triggering unease within the party.
Responding to reports of his alleged defection, Fubara accused some media and political observers of spreading misleading interpretations of his position in the APC.
“I know there’s a lot of drama in the media, one way or another,” the governor said.
“I am a member of the All Progressives Congress, and nothing has changed. People need to stop using any situation they pick up from social media or their own interpretation of any situation to misrepresent me.”
Reaffirming his loyalty to the ruling party, the governor added, “I have not gone anywhere; I am still a member of the APC, and I remain a member. Whatever happens, what is important is to support the interests of the party as a whole.”
Politics aside, Fubara used the visit to highlight his administration’s investment in health infrastructure, and explained that the project was initiated to address important medical challenges facing the region’s population.
“This project, if you remember, when we came in, we had a problem that required an unannounced visit, and it had to do with mental health,” he said.
“So when we came here to inspect the rehabilitation center that the council was trying to build, we found that we had more problems than mental health problems.”
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The governor said the absence of public health facilities nearby forced residents to rely heavily on the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which he said was too far for many local communities.
“We don’t have a public hospital to serve the people of this area. The closest health center they have here is the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which is very far from here,” he explained.
“We feel that with the space we have in this complex, it is only right that we also have a general hospital located in this dedicated facility to care for the local community as far away as Rumuola, Rumuolumeni and all the surrounding areas.”
Expressing his satisfaction with the speed and completion of the project, Fubara stated, “Today, to the glory of God, we can see that this project has been completed. It is not 95 percent complete, but it is one hundred percent complete.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to haunt the screening process in the APC House of Assembly in Rivers State, as candidates who appealed after last weekend’s screening exercise await the decision of the party’s appeal committee.
The APC Assembly Screening Appeal Committee, chaired by Dr Abdul Mahmud, concluded its two-day session on Wednesday evening after reviewing several petitions filed by aggrieved candidates.
Mahmud praised the candidates for maintaining peace during the appeal process and assured them that every petition presented before the panel would be given due attention.
Although the exact number of appeals received could not be independently confirmed, the committee chair had revealed earlier in the week that at least 19 petitions had been submitted for consideration.
