Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has attributed the defection of the Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker and 15 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to internal factionalism raging within the opposition party.
Speaking to the press after reviewing infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike acknowledged he was not consulted prior to their switch but emphasised their action falls within constitutional allowances amid the party’s fractures.
“It’s unfortunate. I have always said 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, members are allowed to leave,” he explained.
Despite the defections, Wike asserted that his loyalty to the PDP remains intact.
“I’m still in the PDP. You will see that it’s not everybody that 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,” he said, highlighting that a significant portion of lawmakers remain.
Wike further called on PDP leadership to resolve on-going disputes, stressing internal discord weakens the party’s influence.
“At the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it is the party that is losing. Those who left are free, but those who have remained in the party, we will continue to work together,” he remarked.
Addressing recent false reports of his arrest in France, Wike dismissed them as politically motivated distractions.
“Last time they said I was sick and flown overseas. This time, they said I was arrested in France. I’m doing my job,” Wike affirmed.
He said his priority remains delivering on the mandate entrusted to him by President Bola Tinubu.
