A former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mark Jacob, has expressed little surprise at the possibility of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), amid ongoing political turmoil in the state.
Jacob made this assertion during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, where he reacted to a high-level meeting held the previous night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu had met with Governor Fubara, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and the suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in a bid to resolve the months-long political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.
Jacob, reflecting on the recent wave of defections to the APC across the country, suggested that it would not be out of character for Fubara to cross party lines if it meant retaining political power.
“So if they dangle a carrot to Siminalayi and tell him to come over to APC so that he can reclaim his seat, I will not be shocked if he agrees,” Jacob said. “Because it’s all about ‘me’ — what will I gain?”
The crisis in Rivers State traces back to a bitter power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor-turned-political rival, Nyesom Wike, over control of the state’s political structure. In the heat of the conflict, President Tinubu reportedly suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and some lawmakers — a move Jacob decried as undemocratic.
“Suspending duly elected officials under the guise of settling political scores is a dangerous precedent and goes against democratic principles,” he added.
While Thursday’s meeting may have projected an image of reconciliation, Jacob cautioned against assuming the crisis is over, pointing out the underlying power plays still in motion.
The situation in Rivers continues to draw national attention as political alignments shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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