The appointment of Nyesom Wike as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister by President Bola Tinubu continues to raise eyebrows within Nigeria’s political landscape.
Naturenex reports that what has made Wike’s appointment particularly controversial is that he was still an active member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when President Tinubu appointed him as a minister.
This move by the president led to speculations and rumours that the former Rivers state governor had secretly defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike responds to allegations of defection
In light of these speculations, speaking during a media parley in Abuja, Wike dismissed the claims that he had secretly joined the APC, saying:
“It’s not correct. It’s not correct. I’ve told you the Genesis here, what happened?” he said.
Wike further explained that he had been vocal in his opposition to certain political decisions, notably during the presidential race when he openly declared that he would not support the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of injustice, TVC News reported.
He said:
“I came out in this country and I said I was not going to support your presidency because you are not fair.
“That was not justice. I didn’t hide it. I’m not like them. I came back. I said I was not going to support this, and I have no regret about it.”
Despite the swirling rumors, Wike emphasized that he had never entertained the idea of crossing over to the APC, saying, “I never spoke to the president about joining APC, Vanguard reported.
“I never told anybody that, and nobody should think that. If I want to join APC, I can do so without fear, nobody can stop me.
“Some people come out in the daytime and say different things, and in the night, they say different things. I don’t do that. I say something, and I will do it. If I say I won’t do something, I won’t,” he said.
