MINISTER-DESIGNATE and immediate-past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has paid a visit to the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at the latter’s Abuja residence.
Wike’s visit to Ganduje was made public by the APC via its official Twitter handle on Tuesday, 15 August 2023.
It was noted in the tweet that the former Rivers State governor visited Ganduje to congratulate him on his election as the ruling party’s national chairman.
This is coming just as there were insinuations that Wike, a member of the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was planning to join the ruling APC.
The rumour of defection is being fueled by the remarks from Wike’s successor, Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State, shortly after he assumed office on 29 May in which he enjoined Wike not to abandon him if he ends up in the ruling party.
“While we are seeing signs that it’s like you want to go over to the other side with everybody wishing that, please don’t be too far from me because I know that the sharks, the tigers are really around looking for what to hurt. So, being around would continue to guide and put my head straight for the purpose of this state,” Fubara had stated during a thanksgiving service organised in Wike’s honour.
Wike’s emergence as minister-designate did not come as a surprise, as not a few Nigerians believe that it was the fulfilment of a political IOU after working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against his party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 presidential poll.
Eighteen-Eleven Media