The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has not yet officially welcomed Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara into the party because of strategic planning and the need to manage regional sensitivities, National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda said on Sunday.

Governor Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025, a move that marked a significant political shift in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reports indicate that Fubara formally registered with the APC and was presented with his membership card, positioning him within the ruling party’s structures.

Despite his formal entry into the APC, there has been public discussion about the timing and nature of a ceremonial welcome by the party’s national leadership.

Speaking on TVC on Sunday, Yilwatda said the party’s approach to Fubara’s welcome is part of a broader strategic plan intended to manage political dynamics across Nigeria’s regions.

He said the APC leadership is mindful of how formal events may be perceived in different parts of the country.

Yilwatda’s comments aimed to clarify why Fubara’s official reception into the party at the national level had not yet taken place, even though the governor has publicly been identified as a member of the APC.

Yilwatda said: “The delay in officially welcoming Governor Fubara into the APC is part of our strategic plan to manage regional sensitivities.”

The timing of official party events involving high‑profile defectors such as Fubara can have political significance for party cohesion and electoral strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Fubara’s defection from the PDP to the APC has been one of several high‑profile political realignments in recent months.