Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has stated that the 16 defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are free to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and that his camp will continue to work with the other lawmakers who remain loyal to the party.
Wike disclosed this to journalists on Friday after visiting the continuing building of an interchange bridge connecting Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi, and Gwarimpa in Abuja.
Chronicle NG reports that 16 lawmakers, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, announced their defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress during a plenary session of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday.
Citing tensions within the PDP as the cause for his defection, Amaewhule stated that he was now a member of the APC and would “join hands with Mr. President,” noting that the President “means well for the country.”
Wike responded, calling the incident “unfortunate” and claiming that the party’s internal crisis contributed to the lawmakers’ departure.
“Well, it’s unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalized. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalized, they are allowed to leave the party.
“You will see that it’s not everybody who has left. I believe 16 or 17 of them have left out of 27. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together. They never told me, but they have a right,” he said.
The former Rivers State Governor further stated that he remained in the PDP, urging the party to put its house in order.
“I’m still in the PDP. So for those who have remained, we’ll continue to work together. And I have said to the party, put your house in order. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that will lose.
“And we still ask the party to work together to see how the remaining members will be a relevant opposition. But they chose not to. So for me, those who have left are free. But for those who remain in the party, we will continue to work together,” he added.
