The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) says it’s not begging the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to join the party in the state.
The Rivers APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha, said this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, in reaction to the defection of the 27 lawmakers into the party from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday.
Okocha, who is also the State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), expressed joy over the steps taken by the defectors.
He said the party had been communicated to officially by the defectors, which made the defection true and not a rumour.
Okocha commended the lawmakers for their bold steps in defecting to APC, saying the remaining four members in the house cannot be equated to the 27 members.
On whether or not the reason for defection was to prepare grounds for Wike to defect to 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 the society; so nobody can think or say for him if he will defect to APC or not.”
Okocha said the party in the state needed Wike to join it to assist it, adding: “We are not begging him to join. In 2023, he immensely aided the victory of APC in the state.”
READ ALSO: 27 pro-Wike lawmakers defect to APC, berate Rivers gov
On claims that Wike will be in PDP till 2027 to aid its victory like he did for APC in 2023, 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.”
On whether or not the lawmakers’ defection was a plan to impeach Governor Fubara, Okocha said 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 ground.
The Rivers APC chieftain added: ”If the state governor has decided to give vent to the four persons over above the 27 persons, then you know that it is a complete anatomy and would not be tolerated by anybody.”
He said state had gone past the era of 16 members being above 19 members like in the previous regime.
Okocha said the defectors allegedly confided in him that there was no good governance in the state.
He said the new entrants into APC would be formally received into its fold on Sunday.
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