The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted sharply to the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a classic case of “a captive falling in love with the captor.”
Ini Ememobong, the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, made the comments on Thursday during an appearance on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme monitored by DAILY POST.
Governor Fubara formally dumped the PDP for the APC on Tuesday, claiming the party failed to protect him during the prolonged political crisis that rocked Rivers State.
But Ememobong dismissed Fubara’s justification, insisting the governor was deliberately avoiding the truth.
“We sympathise with Siminalayi Fubara,” he said. “This is a clear case of Stockholm syndrome — a captive falling in love with a captor. He seems unable to identify where his real problem lies.”
The PDP spokesperson accused the governor of selective memory, arguing that Fubara knows the root and continuation of his political troubles but has chosen to transfer blame.
“When he went to court over the issue of defection, he knew the truth. So his attempt to shift responsibility now raises serious questions about whether he is placing blame where it truly belongs,” Ememobong added.
He also recalled comments made by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, during preparations for the PDP convention, which suggested that the party had been giving Fubara room due to the challenges he faced — an indication, according to him, that the governor was not abandoned as claimed.
The war of words adds another layer of tension to the already heated political atmosphere in Rivers State, as Fubara settles into his new political home under the APC.
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