Matawalle, Ayade: Wike brands PDP governors joining APC shameless

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, is unhappy that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is poaching state governors from his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, this week dumped the PDP for the APC, following in the footsteps of Ebonyi's Governor Dave Umahi who defected last November, and Cross River's Governor Ben Ayade who defected last month.

Addressing the spate of defections on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, Wike said the governors making such moves could not be trusted, leaving the party that helped them to power.

"People who could not win ordinary election. The party used technicality and went to court and got victory. Now, they say they are leaving the party.

"Hopeless, shameless human beings. People who have no conscience," he said.

The governor's Tuesday remarks struck a different tone to his celebratory mood when Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, dumped the APC for the PDP just a year ago.

Hopping parties, especially between APC and PDP, is quite commonplace in Nigerian politics, the result of personal political calculations.

However, Wike, an extremely influential PDP shot caller, assured his supporters that he'd never make a move to the APC.

"Bring everything you have against me, I will not join you. Rivers state will not join you.

"Even if it is only Rivers State in this country, we will continue to be PDP," he said.

The governor also accused the APC, which controls the Federal Government, of blackmailing some of the governors to join to consolidate its political power.