Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has dared his political party to suspend him despite working for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike, who is a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and now serves as a Minister in an APC government, said this during an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, August 30.
“How can anybody talk about expelling me, a state that brought a governor? A state that brought three senators? A state that produced 32 House of Assembly members out of 32? A state that produced 11 out of 13 House of Reps? The person that will suspend me is the one that couldn’t provide a governor, three senators?
“Look, I have not seen that person with all due respect. Nobody will do it. So the issue will not arise. Who will discipline me? I should be the one calling for the discipline of these people who violated the party constitution. Who dares that person that said they will suspend me? Who is that person? I want to dare anybody who will say that,” Wike said.
He stated that he was unapologetic about his role in assisting the APC to win the 2023 elections, adding that his actions were in the interest of equity and justice.
“Governance is not about party. Party is a vehicle that conveys you. I am a PDP member. I never hid my intention. As a PDP member, I came out that I am going to support equity, fairness and justice. I was in PDP, I supported Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yes. Did I hide it?
“I feel at home working with Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has given me that courage. He is a man who means well for the country. So, he is looking for people who will support him and achieve the renewed hope he has given to Nigerians. I’m not here to support a party. I am here to support the president who has confidence in me to help him deliver the renewed hope. And I owe nobody any apologies at all,” he said.
He also added that relevant authorities at the national, zonal and state levels of the PDP backed his appointment into the cabinet of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Wike had vowed to fight what he described as injustice in the PDP. He also insisted on the emergence of a presidential candidate for the south despite his party fielding a northerner for the position.
His stance against the party followed the emergence of former Nigerian Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate in the primary elections, contrary to the party’s regulation on rotating the position among regions.
Wike also contested the party primaries in 2022 and lost to Atiku.
He, along with four other governors, formed the G5 group and insisted that Northern Nigeria could not produce both Chairman and presidential candidate of the party at the same time.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.