Despite a peace meeting over the political crisis in Rivers, a former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mark Jacob, says he won’t’be surprised if suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara joins the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

President Bola Tinubu late Thursday met with Fubara; the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and suspended members of the Rivers Assembly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja — all parties in the political impasse in the coastal state.

However, Jacob, citing the recent defections to the APC, says it won’t be surprising to see Fubara —who is a member of the PDP — join the ruling party.

“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, because it’s all about me. ‘What will I gain?’” he said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday.

Thursday’s meeting came about three months after Tinubu suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers Assembly following a heated political crisis in the oil-producing state.

The crisis was due to a battle over the control of the state’s political structure between Wike and his political godson, Fubara. The situation defied solutions, and at the height of it, saw some lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister, led by Martin Amaewhule, attempt to impeach the governor.

Tinubu, citing the nation’s constitution and the need to restore peace to the state, stepped in and suspended the governor and the lawmakers, at first instance, for six months.

He appointed and swore in a retired naval chief, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas, as the sole administrator of the state.

That move was faulted by opposition figures, top lawmakers, political parties, among others, as many of them described the development as illegal.

After Thursday’s meeting, Wike, Fubara, and the suspended lawmakers were all beaming with smiles. The FCT minister said they have resolved their differences and have agreed to “work together with the governor, and the governor has also agreed to work with all of us”.

Wike said, “We are members of the same political family – yes, just like humans, we all have disagreements, and then you also have the time to settle your disagreements, and that has been finally concluded today. We have come to report to Mr President that this is what we have agreed.”

However, the ex-PDP legal adviser argued that while their posture after the meeting may suggest a reconciliation, suspending elected government officials is anti-democratic.

“So, that they are shaking hands and they are smiling doesn’t change the fact that there is an illegality imposed on River State, and that is an aberration and it’s something that should never have happened in the first place,” he said on the breakfast show.

“So, for me, it’s still drama, and we’ll wait to see what comes out of it in the next few days, but it’s terrible that it ever happened.

“There should never be a situation where democracy can be hijacked by a democratically elected president. It should not happen in Nigeria, particularly.” (Channels TV)