The North Central Zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has invited the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to defect from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling party.
The invitation was extended by the zonal secretary of the APC for the North Central, Adamu Mohammed Yakubu, who praised Wike’s performance as FCT minister but expressed shock that he remains a member of the PDP.
“The truth is that when Barr Nyesom Wike was appointed, we were very happy, knowing what he has done in his state and how he is handling projects. We know that things will get better,” Yakubu stated.
Yakubu’s comments during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, highlighted the political paradox surrounding Wike, a PDP chieftain whose pivotal role in President Bola Tinubu’s government has been a source of tension within his own party.
The APC chieftain, while lauding Wike’s work, made it clear that his current party affiliation is a point of contention. “He is doing a great job. And in terms of politics, he is an experienced politician,” he said.
However, he insisted that “any person who is the minister of the Federal Capital Territory under an administration of a party is automatically the leader of that party. That is where we are getting an issue.”
The APC leader framed his pitch as both an appeal and a stark assessment of the PDP’s fortunes.
“We are appealing to him to look at the possibility of coming to our party. He should come and be the leader of the APC in the FCT.
“PDP now is on life support. Very soon, they will announce its death. Wike is the only life support holding the party, and when he comes to the APC, the death of PDP will be announced,” he said.
Yakubu assured that the FCT chapter of the APC is ready to embrace Wike wholeheartedly.
“He has made this administration proud with the complete transformation of the FCT, which no administration has ever done, and we are ready to give him 100 percent loyalty if he decides to join us,” he said.
Even if Wike declined to defect, Yakubu appealed for greater inclusion for APC members in the FCT administration, mirroring the President’s own bipartisan approach.
“If he eventually still remains there, he should carry us along like the president carried him. The party in FCT APC is only a little distance from him,” he said.
“If he eventually listens and accepts this appeal to join the APC, we are going to celebrate him. His experience in politics will add more to the APC,” he said.
