The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the 16 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are free to make their political choices, adding that his camp will continue to work with the remaining lawmakers still loyal to the PDP.
Wike made the remarks on Friday in Abuja while addressing journalists after inspecting the ongoing construction of an interchange bridge connecting Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi and Gwarimpa.
Earlier in the day, the 16 lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, announced their defection during a plenary session of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Amaewhule cited internal divisions within the PDP as the reason for their exit, declaring that he had joined the APC and would “join hands with Mr President,” whom he said “means well for the country.”
Reacting to the development, Wike described the situation as unfortunate, blaming it on the lingering internal crisis within the PDP.
“Well, it’s unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, they are allowed to leave the party,” Wike said.
He noted that not all lawmakers had defected.
“You will see that it’s not everybody who has left. I believe 16 or 17 of them have left out of 27. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together. They never told me, but they have a right,” he added.
The former Rivers State Governor also reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP and called on the party’s leadership to urgently resolve its internal disputes.
“I’m still in the PDP. So those who have remained, we’ll continue to work together. And I have said to the party, put your house in order. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that will lose,” he said.
Wike further stressed that while the defected lawmakers were free to leave, his focus would remain on strengthening the opposition with the remaining PDP members in the state.
