Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed growing rumours suggesting that he had abandoned the All Progressives Congress for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, insisting that he remains fully committed to the ruling party despite mounting political tension in the state.
The governor spoke on Wednesday during an inspection tour of the newly completed General Hospital and the remodelled Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Rumuigbo, Obiakpor Local Government Area, where he addressed speculation surrounding his political future.
His clarification comes at a time when several of his loyalists seeking tickets to contest for seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly were reportedly disqualified by the APC screening committee, triggering anxiety within the party.
Reacting to reports of his alleged defection, Fubara accused some sections of the media and political observers of spreading misleading interpretations about his position in the APC.
“I know that there has been a lot of drama in the media, one story or another,” the governor said.
“I am a member of the All Progressives Congress, and nothing has changed. People should stop using whatever situation they pick up from social media or their own interpretation of any situation to present me wrongly.”
Reaffirming his allegiance to the ruling party, the governor added, “I’ve not gone anywhere; I’m still a member of the APC, and I remain a member. Whatever happens, what is important is supporting the overall interest of the party.”
Beyond politics, Fubara used the visit to highlight his administration’s investments in healthcare infrastructure, explaining that the projects were initiated to tackle critical medical challenges facing residents in the area.
“This very project, if you could remember, when we came in, we had an issue that required our sudden visit, and it had to do with mental health,” he stated.
“So when we came here for the inspection of the rehabilitation centre that the board was trying to put together, we found out that we had more issues than even the mental health issue.”
The governor said the absence of a nearby public health facility forced residents to depend heavily on the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which he described as too distant for many surrounding communities.
“We didn’t have a general hospital to serve the people within this area. The closest medical centre that they had here was the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which is very far from here,” he explained.
“We felt that with the space we have in this compound, it would be proper for us to also have a general hospital situated in this particular facility to take care of the neighbouring communities up to Rumuola, Rumuolumeni and all the surrounding areas.”
Expressing satisfaction with the pace and completion of the projects, Fubara declared, “Today, to the glory of God, we can see that the project is already completed. It is not 95 per cent complete, it is a hundred per cent completion.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to trail the APC House of Assembly screening process in Rivers State, as aspirants who submitted appeals following last weekend’s screening exercise await the verdict of the party’s appeal committee.
The APC Assembly Screening Appeal Committee, chaired by Dr Abdul Mahmud, concluded its two-day sitting on Wednesday evening after reviewing several petitions submitted by aggrieved aspirants.
Mahmud commended the aspirants for maintaining peace throughout the appeal process and assured them that every petition presented before the panel would receive attention.
Although the exact number of appeals received could not be independently confirmed, the committee chairman had disclosed earlier in the week that at least 19 petitions had already been submitted for consideration.
