Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at his former colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that many of those who once accused him of undermining the party have now defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during the flag-off of the construction of the main carriageways on the Outer Southern Expressway in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike said the wave of defections from the PDP to the APC was vindication of his earlier stance.
“I have been watching on daily television and social media, people who said I wanted to destabilise the party, that I was working for the APC. All of them are now in the APC.
So, if it is true that I was working for the APC, they should commend me for doing a good job, paving the way for them,” Wike stated.
In recent days, two prominent PDP governors, Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, announced their defection to the APC.
Governor Diri’s move came alongside the defection of 19 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, making him the fourth PDP governor to leave the party in the buildup to the 2027 general elections.
This development has reduced the PDP’s governorship tally from 11 (as of October 2024) to just 8.
Wike, who served as governor of Rivers State for eight years before his appointment as FCT Minister, praised President Bola Tinubu’s economic leadership, stating that under Tinubu, all states, including the FCT, now have access to enough funds to pay salaries, deliver infrastructure, and avoid the financial struggles that plagued governors during his own tenure.
“When I was governor, I had to run around banks every month just to pay salaries or fund projects. Today, it’s different. Now, banks are the ones chasing states.
Somebody has made that possible, a leader whose decisive economic policies have changed the game,” he said.
Wike added that under the current administration, the issue of governors leaving debts for their successors would become a thing of the past, thanks to improved revenue allocation and sound fiscal management.
“No governor will now talk about leaving debts for his successor. That used to be the norm. But with visionary leadership, that’s changing.
We now have a President who takes tough but necessary decisions, decisions others ran away from when they had the chance.”
Wike noted that recent defections and growing support for President Tinubu among opposition figures were signs that Nigerians recognise the need for strong, purposeful leadership to drive reform and national development.
