There are ongoing moves by Barr. Nyesom Wike, the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to officially join the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is currently undergoing crisis and factionalised.

According to investigations, the defection of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Chike Amaewhule and 15 other lawmakers to the APC on Friday was part of the plan by the FCT minister and his loyalists in the Assembly to officially entrench the party in the state.

Last Friday, Amaewhule and 16 other lawmakers who defected, cited the crisis of the PDP at the national level, and the impressive performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who the lawmakers had endorsed for reelection barely 48 hours earlier.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for Nigeria. He is tackling issues of security headlong. The President has shown love to Rivers State; he is helping Rivers people to be part of the governance of this country.

I am so delighted to be part of the APC. So, we can support the President right inside the All Progressives Congress,” the Speaker added. Although Wike, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja shortly after the lawmakers defected, also cited the crisis bedeviling the party as reason for the defection, stressing however that he remains in the PDP. ”

…I have always said everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, members are allowed to leave,” he said. Informed sources, however, said that the FCT minister had long dumped the PDP and was merely bidding his time to join the APC, and that the defection of the lawmakers was part of his defection plans.

One of the sources said that from the Local Government Areas to the legislature, Wike had perfected plan to galvanise support for President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general elections, adding that the council chairmen had long launched the campaign for Tinubu’s reelection.

“Would a serving minister in the calibre of Wike defect from the PDP to the APC without the structures that would really give meaning to the defection?” the source said. He added that, “Wike’s defection started taking shape when the national leadership of the APC recognised his ally, Tony Okocha as the chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the party.”

The source added that the APC handed the state chapter of the party to Wike during the chairmanship of its former national chairman, Abdulahi Ganduje, who blatantly refused to recognise the Chief Emeka Beke led state executive.

“If you connect the dots, you will understand that Wike and his loyalists, especially Tony Okocha, had made it clear that allowing Beke, an ally of former governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi would jeopardise Wike’s plan to take total control of the party,” he said.

“Is it by coincidence that the pro-Wike council chairman, who regained their positions through the court mounted the posters of Tinubu in strategic corners in their council areas, declaring their support for his reelection. “They were given the instruction to work with the grassroots for the reelection of the President, and there is no way to deliver fully without working with the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

One of the sources claimed that some lawmakers in the remaining 10 that remained in the PDP, are also gearing up to join the APC, noting that the defection has long be decided. The lawmakers, who did not defect from the PDP when Amaewhule and 15 others left include Hon. Mrs. Emilia Lucky-Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency), ⁠Hon.

Justina Emeji (Emohua Constituency), ⁠Hon.Ignatius Onwuka (Etche Constituency 1), Hon. Mrs. Barile Nwakor (Khana Constituency 1), and Hon. Mrs Ezekwe Nkemjika (Ogba-Egbema Ndoni II).