Nyesom Wike, the Rivers State governor, says should former President Goodluck Jonathan decide to run for president in 2023, his interest would best be served by remaining in the Peoples Democratic Party.

“If you want to run for President, run under PDP. Nigerians cherish you more than this government. They have seen that all the things the (Buhari) government promised them are lies. So, please don’t join the APC for the sake of your reputation,” Mr Wike admonished as he warned Mr Jonathan against joining the ruling All Progressives Congress

He said such move would destroy the reputation of the former president.

“I respect the former President because he is a man of integrity but if I am to advise him, I will tell him, ‘Sir, don’t make that mistake. Mr Wike said in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Friday.

“I will tell him what I heard. I will tell him, ‘Don’t go anywhere because these people want to destroy your reputation. They don’t like you; you should know.”

Mr Wike accused the APC of poaching reputable Peoples Democratic Party members only to destroy them.

“What APC is doing now is to bring reputable people from PDP and when they bring them, they destroy them so that they won’t have anywhere to go again. That’s what the APC is doing, Mr Wike said.

The PDP has witness defection of some of its high profile members to the APC as the 2023 electioneering season approaches.

Cross River governor, Ben Ayade; Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, and former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode have defected to the APC in recent times.

Mr Jonathan has kept a studied silence even as rumours of his defection to APC continue to spread like wildfire.