The All Progressive Congress in Rivers State on Monday urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, to join the party in the state.

Its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha, made the remark while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt in reaction to the defection of 27 members of the state assembly to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Okocha, who is also the state representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission, expressed joy over the steps taken by the defectors.

He said that the party had been communicated to officially by the defectors, which made the move true. 

Mr Okocha commended the lawmakers for what he described as their bold steps in defecting to the APC, saying that the remaining four members in the house cannot be equated to 27. 

Commenting on insinuations that the lawmakers’ defection was to prepare the ground for Wike’s defection to the APC, he said, “I don’t think so. Whatever their reason is, when they get to the bridge they will cross it. Wike is a politician whose name shakes and echoes in society; so nobody can think or say for him if he will defect to the APC or not.’’

Mr Okocha said that the party in the state needed Wike to join it, adding, “we are not begging him to join; in 2023, he immensely aided the victory of APC in the state.”

On claims that Wike would be in PDP till 2027 to aid its victory like he did for the APC in 2023, Mr Okocha said, “the party did not firmly see him do that. The best thing we are asking him to do is to come and join the APC because it is the government in power.”

Speaking on whether or not the lawmakers’ defection was a plan to impeach the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Mr Okocha said that the impeachment of a governor was not a one-day affair or a coup.

He explained that the defectors did not tell him if their defection was to impeach the governor and as such, could not speak for them on that. 

Mr Okocha explained, “If the state governor decided to give vent to the four persons above the 27 persons, then you know that it is a complete anatomy and would not be tolerated by anybody.”

He said the state had gone past the era of 16 members being above 19 members like in the previous regime.

Mr Okocha said that the defectors allegedly confided in him that there was no good governance in the state.

He said that the new entrants into the APC would be formally received into its fold on Sunday. 

(NAN)