The All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that it has commenced talks with Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike to join the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been in crisis since the conclusion of its presidential primaries.
Wike, who lost the PDP’s presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar, has been calling for the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s National Chairman.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night, APC chieftain, Farouk Aliyu, said the party is ready to receive Wike as a new member ahead of the next general election.
According to him, the Rivers governor cannot be ignored as he is a notable figure in the country.
He said: “We are talking to Wike. We are talking to so many of them. Of course, it is politics. So, we are not enemies of Wike, and he is a very important person in this country – a governor for that matter – and you cannot ignore Rivers State.
“So, if Wike decides to come to us, we would gladly welcome him, and I can confirm to you that we are talking to him.”
Meanhwile, Wike on Tuesday endorsed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for a second term.
Reacting to the development, the former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, said that the endorsement of candidates from other political parties is “consistent” Wike’s style of politics.
Chidoka, who is a special adviser to the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said Wike did the same thing during the Anambra State governorship election.
“This is not the first time he’s doing it. In Anambra, during the Anambra governorship election, he did not support the PDP candidate. He said it’s against his conscience to fight against his friend who was running for governor.
“I believe that this is consistent with his style and he’s at liberty to choose who he wants to endorse,” he added.
He, however, noted that “if he wants to support the presidential candidate of any party, he is free to do so but he has a moral responsibility not to be sitting on a PDP seat as a governor and be talking about another candidate.
“That moral burden is more on Wike than it’s on PDP to justify why he is taking that position for a party that has been good to him from local government chairman to being the governor of a state.”
