Factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, Tony Okocha has stated that the 27 Nyesom Wike House of Assembly members who are fighting the system governor, Siminaliayi Fubara have not formally joined the APC in the state
Okocha said on Thursday in Abuja that lawmakers are yet to register their membership of the APC at their various wards and therefore cannot be said to have forms decamped from their original party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC
This is even as the APC chairman stated that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of the APC.
According to him, Wike will never leave the opposition party, asserting that, “he has always said that the PDP made him what he is. He has always said that he would remain there.”
Okocha was particularly categorical in declaring that Wike would not leave the PDP.
“Wike will never leave the PDP. He is an ardent believer in the PDP. He is not likely to leave that group,” Okocha said.
He told journalists on Thursday in Abuja that the 27 Rivers lawmakers, who are currently in a bitter political struggle with Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, are also not members of the APC.
“People say Wike has decamped to the APC. They also say that the 27 lawmakers currently fighting with Fubara have defected to the APC.
“I need to make this clear to everyone. Much as I wish to have them in my fold, none of them has agreed to join us.
“I am the one who should know if they did. But, clearly, they have not. What the lawmakers did was a political gimmick.
“I tried to woo them, but they kept vacillating and did not.
“To defect, they must go to their wards, register, and obtain their membership cards. None of them has done that,” he said.
He, however, stated that Wike is a member of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“In Rivers, I am 001 in the APC, but in the Renewed Hope Agenda, I am 002. Wike is 001,” he explained.
He also spoke about Wike’s influence on Rivers’ politics.
“Wike has done so much for Rivers, so he is strong.
“In the next 10 years, Wike will continue to influence the political direction in Rivers.
“It will be difficult to uproot him.
“Aside from his many projects scattered throughout the state, he has touched people’s lives directly. Such people will always be behind him,” he said.
He described Wike as a politician who could identify with every good cause, irrespective of political party.
“Once the cause is good and will give him a platform to serve his people, Wike will be part of it,” Okocha said.
(NAN)