The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has hailed the recent wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as validation of his support for President Bola Tinubu, claiming that governors who once accused him of undermining the opposition are now joining the ruling party.
Speaking on Wednesday at the flag-off ceremony for the construction of the main carriageways on Abuja’s outer southern expressway, Wike urged his former critics to commend him for “doing a good job” in paving their path to the APC.
“I have been watching on daily television and social media, people who said I want to destabilise the party, I am working for the APC. All of them are now in the APC. So, which means if it is true, they should commend me for working for where they are heading. So, I should be commended for doing a good job for them,” Wike stated.
The remarks come amid a flurry of high-profile exits from the PDP. In the past 48 hours, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah resigned from the PDP and joined the APC, citing the need for national development under Tinubu’s leadership.
Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri followed suit on Wednesday, defecting alongside 19 members of the State House of Assembly.
This marks the fourth PDP governor to switch sides ahead of the 2027 elections, reducing the party’s governors from 11 in October 2024 to just eight.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor, credited Tinubu’s “decisive leadership” for empowering states financially, eliminating the need for governors to chase bank loans for projects or salaries.
“Let every state be sincere to their people, and to Nigerians. I was a governor for eight years. I was a governor running around banks to look for money to do projects. Sometimes, every month, the money that comes will not be enough to pay salaries and all other allowances, not to talk about doing projects.
“Today, by the leadership of somebody, by the decisive leadership of somebody who has made it possible for all the states, and the Federal Capital Territory, not to be running around banks again. Rather, banks are now looking for states to say ‘look, don’t throw us away, we are here’.
“Somebody has made that possible; every state now has money. Not only to pay salaries, not only to carry out government activities, but also to embark on projects. It was not like that before,” he explained.
Describing the defections as “worthwhile,” Wike added that no governor would now leave debts for successors, unlike in the past.
“So, if, for that reason, so many people are going to support Mr President, I think it is worthwhile. Now, no governor will talk about leaving debts for his successor, unlike what used to happen before. That is the leadership of somebody.
“And that’s what this country needs for now. Visionary leadership, purposeful leadership, that will be able to take decisions. Decisions that people were running away from taking when they had the opportunity,” Wike concluded.