According to Sowunmi, a notable member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Nyesom Wike has sent a letter expressing his interest in joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in forming a government. Sowunmi emphasized the significance of loyalty within the party, clarifying that Wike’s intention to serve in the government shouldn’t be seen as abandoning the party.
In an interview on Arise TV, Sowunmi laid out what he hoped the party would do in response to Wike’s invitation. He proposed that the party should have temporarily suspended Wike’s membership until he finished his dealings with the APC. This move, Sowunmi argued, would have stripped Wike of his influence over the party in Rivers State and prevented him from attending the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings.
Expanding on his position, Sowunmi highlighted the importance of discipline and sticking to the core values of the party. He stressed that putting the PDP first is crucial, even over personal aspirations or dealings with other political groups. He proposed that Wike’s decision to suspend memberships could help uphold accountability and preserve the party’s integrity.
Sowunmi pointed out the PDP’s current crisis by mentioning how former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike lost to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the PDP presidential primaries. Sowunmi suggests that the loss has fueled ongoing factionalism in the party, with Wike pushing for a Southern candidate to hold onto the presidency in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
Hear him: ”Wike wrote a letter saying he has been invited to form a government with the ruling party. In a discipline party members’ loyalty, he’s saying I’m not leaving the party, I’m only serving the country. What I would have expected from those in chance of the party is to say thank you very much for informing us that you have invited us to serve. Please go there and be a good representative of the best capacity of our party. And then tell him we are freezing your membership until you are done with that and then tell him the consequence of the freeze. You are not going to be in charge of our party structure in Rivers. You can’t attend our NEC meeting because you can’t serve two masters at the same time.”
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