Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced that several prominent political figures previously aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have withdrawn their support and are now backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.

According to the governor, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Uche Secondus; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara; former Rivers State Governor, Celestine Omehia; and former Minister of Transportation, Abiye Sekibo, have all decided to follow his political direction.

Governor Fubara said the decision had exposed him and his allies to pressure and blackmail in different quarters due to their earlier support for Atiku Abubakar. He, however, maintained that the political shift was deliberate and rooted in conviction.

In what appeared to be a veiled response to critics within the camp of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the governor remarked, “When you see a dog barking, it shows it doesn’t understand. We know where we are going, and we have put everything in place to make the journey smooth.”

He reaffirmed his confidence in the chosen political path, stressing that his group remains focused on supporting President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.