The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Imo State, Austin Onyedebelu, has urged the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to formally join the party.
Mr Onyedebelu said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
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He said if Mr Wike genuinely wants to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 he would not hesitate to join the president’s party.
There has been a political rift between the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) led by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Mr Wike over the latter’s Rainbow Coalition.
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While Mr Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the coalition is a channel to secure Mr Tinubu’s second term, the PGF perceives the arrangement as capable of weakening APC ranks in the future.
The Imo APC chairman, who described Mr Wike as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy, said the minister could not belong to the PDP and the APC simultaneously.
“There is no provision in the Electoral Act that says one can be a member of two political parties at the same time.
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“If Wike wants to work for Mr President, he should join his train. You cannot be at the end of two roads and say you are heading east,” he said.
Mr Onyedebelu accused Mr Wike of using the Rainbow Coalition to revive the PDP and sustain his alleged presidential ambition.
He said that the APC, through its governors, had made its position on the need for a coalition clear, adding that Mr Wike reacted by criticising APC leaders, including Governor Uzodimma.
Mr Onyedebelu further alleged that Mr Wike’s actions were driven by ulterior motives, which, according to him, only visionary politicians such as Mr Uzodimma could decipher.
He advised the minister to stop what he described as attempts to blackmail APC leaders, particularly Governor Uzodimma, saying such actions amounted to undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
Those criticising Wike are jealous – Ex-deputy governor
However, Eze Madumere, a former deputy governor of Imo and PDP senatorial candidate for Imo-East, told NAN that Mr Wike remained an exceptional politician.
Mr Madumere said Mr Wike’s political approach reflected the beauty of democracy, as he had charted a course for those who believed in the Rainbow Coalition.
According to him, Mr Wike had, from the outset, made it clear that his political vision was to support President Tinubu, a position he demonstrated through the G5 governors during the 2023 general elections.
READ ALSO: Rainbow Coalition: Aggrieved governors explore alliance with Atiku to counter Wike
The PDP chieftain said Mr Wike had been consistent and explicit in declaring his support for Mr Tinubu’s presidency.
Mr Madumere commended Wike for what he described as his “uncommon courage”, adding that the minister was supporting Mr Tinubu at the presidential level without undermining the PGF led by Governor Uzodimma.
He attributed the criticisms against Mr Wike to what he described as the president’s confidence in the minister’s capacity and political acumen.
“Without doubt, the President believes in the capacity, acumen and dexterity of Wike to deliver successfully.
“This may attract envy and jealousy. I advise that we concentrate and mobilise the citizenry and electorate by presenting our blueprint and convincing them on why they should vote for us,” he said.
(NAN)
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