Elder statesman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bode George, has defended the appointment of Nyesom Wike, a former Governor of Rivers State, as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government.
In an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, George stated that Wike, a bona fide member of the PDP, had written a letter to the party expressing his intention to work in the APC government led by President Bola Tinubu.
Wike’s Loyalty
He justified Wike’s appointment, citing examples of past instances where members of other parties served in governments led by different parties.
“Once party A wins an election, it opens the door to say, ‘Let’s have a united group’. When Obasanjo won the election in 1999, he invited people from ANPP, APGA, AD,” he said, citing the example of the late Chief Bola Ige, who served as the Attorney-General of the Federation while being a member of the Alliance for Democracy.
“We can’t just have a Berlin wall to say that once you’re a member of this, you can’t serve there. The fact that you’re serving there doesn’t mean you’ve left your party,” he added.
George emphasized that Wike’s appointment does not mean he has left the PDP, and that there are issues to be sorted out within the party.
“According to Wike, he wrote a letter to serve in the APC government. He still plays the music. How can he work against the PDP? I don’t believe it,” George said.
Ondo Election
Reacting to criticisms from some party members, George urged leaders to work according to the constitution and expressed delight at the meeting held in Oyo State, chaired by Governor Seyi Makinde, aimed at addressing discordant voices within the party.
“I just came back from Ibadan where we had an elders’ meeting in respect to discordant voices that are coming out from Ondo State. People should get back to their various Local Governments and contribute their quota,” he said.
Lagos PDP
George disagreed with Adetokunbo Pearse, a party chieftain in Lagos State, who stated that the party’s weak structure is responsible for its suffering in the state.
“It’s unfair for committed members of the party to make such assertions in public. Discipline is part of the management in any organization. What Pearse said isn’t correct,” George said, adding that the party leadership is working on numerous reformations.
The PDP has been facing internal conflicts, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Wike holding on to their structures and working at cross-purposes. Wike led the G5 governors, comprising Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and some other stakeholders in the PDP, to work against Atiku in the 2023 presidential election.