Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would collapse if he were to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike made the assertion on Monday during his end-of-year media chat in Port Harcourt, while responding to questions over speculation about his possible defection to the ruling party.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), several of Wike’s political allies in Rivers State, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, have recently defected from the PDP to the APC.
However, the former Rivers governor insisted that he remains firmly in the PDP and has no plans to leave the party.
“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.
Wike stressed that the defection of others does not compel him to follow suit.
“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.
Reacting to suggestions that Governor Fubara could assume control of his political structure in Rivers State, Wike dismissed such claims, insisting that his political influence in the state remains intact.
He argued that Fubara’s defection to the APC does not automatically make him the leader of the party in Rivers, unlike political structures in states such as Lagos and Kano.
“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 FCT minister further maintained that political leadership goes beyond occupying the office of governor, stressing that leadership requires qualities that inspire followership.
He described Fubara’s defection as politically insignificant, noting that the governor did not move with any major political structure.
“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)
