Defected Rivers lawmakers free to depart PDP, says Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has mentioned the 16 defected members of the Rivers State Home of Meeting are free to depart the Peoples Democratic Party, including that his camp would proceed to work with the remaining lawmakers nonetheless loyal to the get together.

Wike said this on Friday whereas addressing journalists after inspecting the continuing building of an interchange bridge connecting Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi, and Gwarimpa in Abuja.

PidomNigeria On-line stories that 16 lawmakers, together with Speaker Martins Amaewhule, introduced their defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress throughout a plenary session of the Rivers State Home of Meeting on Friday.

Citing divisions within the PDP as the rationale for the defection, Amaewhule mentioned he was now a member of the APC and would “be a part of arms with Mr President,” noting that the President “means nicely for the nation.”

Reacting, Wike described the event as “unlucky,” including that the get together’s inside disaster contributed to the lawmakers’ exit.

“Properly, it’s unlucky. I’ve at all times mentioned that everyone has the precise to select. The get together is totally factionalised. And the requirement of the Structure is that when a celebration is factionalised, they’re allowed to depart the get together.

“You will notice that it’s not all people who has left. I consider 16 or 17 of them have omitted of 27. We nonetheless have quantity, about 10, and we are going to proceed to work collectively. They by no means advised me, however they’ve a proper,” he mentioned.

The previous Rivers State Governor additionally said that he remained within the PDP, urging the get together to place its home so as.

“I’m nonetheless within the PDP. So those that have remained, we’ll proceed to work collectively. And I’ve mentioned to the get together, put your home so as. As a result of on the finish of the day, when you don’t put your home so as, it’s the get together that can lose.

“And we nonetheless ask the get together to work collectively to see how the remaining members shall be a related opposition. However they selected to not. So for me, those that have left are free. However those that stay within the get together, we are going to proceed to work collectively,” he added.