PDP reacts to Fubara’s defection, decries threats to democracy, rising intimidation

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally acknowledged the defection of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as “pitiful but unsurprising,” and warning that Nigeria’s democratic institutions are increasingly under threat.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the PDP said the governor’s exit reflects the ancient legal maxim volenti non fit injuria—“to one who is willing, no harm is done”—noting that Fubara “willingly travelled the path that led him to this destination.”

The party insisted that throughout the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, it stood firmly behind the governor, alongside civil society groups and concerned Nigerians, offering what it described as “unwavering support” until he “capitulated.”

The statement added: “Anyone following recent events knows the governor took these steps voluntarily. Having done so, he cannot accuse our party or anyone else of abandoning or failing to protect him.”

The PDP suggested that the intense political pressures surrounding the crisis may have affected the governor’s judgment, observing that individuals under extreme threats could suffer “temporary amnesia.”

The party further cautioned Fubara against what it called “Stockholm Syndrome,” a psychological condition in which victims develop sympathy for their oppressors.

Despite its critical tone, the PDP said it “pities the governor and wishes him well,” even as it condemned what it described as the growing climate of intimidation within Nigeria’s political system.

Beyond the defection, the party highlighted broader implications for Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that the Rivers crisis exposes the weakness of national institutions and the overwhelming influence of powerful individuals backed by federal might.

The NWC said: “The Rivers situation is a testament to the dysfunctional nature of our democracy, where individuals have become bigger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to suffocate opponents. Democracy is terribly threatened by acts of this kind.”

Political analysts say the PDP’s reaction reflects deeper worries over increasing centralisation of power and what the opposition perceives as systematic attempts to weaken democratic pluralism.

Dr. Samuel Eze, a public affairs analyst, said the statement underscores “the heightened fragility of Nigeria’s political environment.”

“When defections are driven not by ideological differences but by intense political coercion or survival instincts, the entire democratic system suffers,” he said.

The PDP also warned that Nigeria is drifting toward “electoral authoritarianism,” accusing the ruling APC of pursuing a one-party state by constricting political space and aggressively courting opposition figures.

The party urged Nigerians and the international community to take note of what it called a “worrisome assault on democratic norms” and called for collective resistance.

“With the ruling party’s unrelenting push toward single-party dominance, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria. All well-meaning Nigerians must rise to oppose this ignoble slide,” the statement concluded.