Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the Peoples Democratic Party would collapse if he were to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
Wike made the remark during his end-of-year media chat in Port Harcourt on Monday, responding to questions about whether he would join the ruling party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Wike’s supporters in the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, recently left PDP for APC.
Wike, however, insisted that he remains a member of PDP and has no intention of leaving.
“Today, if I say I want to decamp to APC, that will be the end of PDP. You will see leaders of the party in other states who will join me.
“If today I say, gentlemen, look, we have had enough of PDP, watch those who will decamp in Benue; watch those who will decamp in Plateau, in Abia, in Edo,” he said.
“But the mere fact that people have left PDP for APC does not mean I have to leave. No, it is not correct. I am still a member of PDP,” he added.
On the possible takeover of his political structure in Rivers by Fubara, Wike assured his supporters that his political influence in the state remains uncontested.
He noted that Fubara’s defection to APC does not automatically make him the leader of the party in Rivers, unlike situations in Lagos and Kano states.
“There are exceptions to the rule. There is nothing like 001 in the state; you register in your ward and not at the state level.
“So, if there is 001, it is in your ward, because every party member registers in his ward,” Wike said.
The minister further stressed that, beyond holding the position of governor, exceptional qualities are required to be a leader worthy of followership.
He argued that Fubara’s move to APC was of little consequence, noting that the governor joined the party alone.
“If a governor is moving to another party, he moves with council chairmen, party leaders, and members of the state assembly.
“In his case, the people had already left PDP and joined APC on their own; as such, defecting to APC doesn’t guarantee him an automatic ticket for a second tenure,” Wike said.
(NAN)
