Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has listed his hypothetical conditions that need to be met for him to dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Party.
Wike made this known on Thursday while featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today which was monitored by WuzupNigeria.
His statement comes amidst the rise in the defection of top PDP members, including Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State and his Cross River counterpart Ben Ayade dumped the PDP.
WuzupNigeria also reported that at least three PDP senators have also jumped the PDP ship for the0ruling APC as duly announced by the lawmakers on Wednesday.
However, when asked if he would leave the PDP for APC in the future, Wike stated clearly that it is impossible and not something to be discussed.
“It is not something to be discussed. How would any Nigerian feel that tomorrow I am discussing with the APC?” the governor asked. It is non-negotiable. When Isa Funtua(RIP) came with Dele Momodu (in a conference in Port-Harcourt), later Isa Funtua said, ‘why not join the party (APC)?’, I said sir, with all due respect it is not an issue to be discussed in fact as I speak now, I have migraine. So I don’t think I will discuss that matter…
“If I want to discuss with APC, I’ll ask them, what do you have on ground, what do you want to do for the people if Rivers State, then I’ll call my people, see what I’m told and who told me.
“If I want to go APC for example, I can’t discuss with anybody other than Mr President and Mr President will have to tell me what he has to do for Rivers People and then I have to call my senator, call everybody, meet with Mr President, please repeat what you told me when I met with you, tell them, I cannot, it’s not possible, don’t even contemplate about that, it does not exist.”
Wike berated the governors and other members of the PDP for joining the APC out of fear and intimidation, noting that the ruling party has nothing to entice him with.
“This people, because of one thing or the other, are trying to hide their inadequacies and inefficiencies and ensure that the government [at the centre] protects them. And they are always afraid,” Wike, a former minister of education explained, accusing the federal government of “fighting” Rivers State.
To those welcoming the decamped politicians, Wike claimed they have failed in delivering quality governance to their people, saying his main preoccupation at the moment is giving the right leadership to the south-south state.
“The problem with Nigeria today is insecurity. The problem with Nigeria today is poverty. The problem with Nigeria today is corruption, not to go and receive a governor somewhere,” he said. “They have nothing to show. I have no such time. You can watch it every day; we are busy.”
