Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has tackled FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over what he described as political confusion surrounding his loyalty to both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Cole questioned why Wike still claims to be a PDP member while openly maintaining ties with the ruling APC. He warned that such contradictions are unhealthy for Nigeria’s democracy.
“Is he APC or is he PDP? As far as we know today, he is PDP. We cannot continue confusing the electorate in Rivers State and confusing Nigerians because it is dangerous for democracy, that you are in one party, you are controlling another party and we are trying to create a one-party state that is a mixture that nobody is clear about,” Cole said.
It will be recalled that during the 2023 elections, Wike opposed his own party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, insisting that power should shift to the South. He later worked closely with President Bola Tinubu, who went on to appoint him as Minister of the FCT.
Since then, Wike has publicly expressed support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition while still holding on to his PDP membership. This political duality has sparked debates within Rivers State, where the APC recently secured 20 out of 23 councils in the August 30 local government elections, leaving the PDP with only three, including Wike’s stronghold, Obio/Akpor.
