Some chieftains of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has accused the Minister, Nyesom Wike of destroying the party in the nation’s capital.
According to the leaders of the party who addressed journalists on Monday in Abuja, the action of the minister could lead to the party losing the FCT in the next general election.
Their leader, Abdulwahab Ekekhide, accused Wike of destroying the APC structure in the FCT by appointing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP members into his administration, saying the development does not portend well for the ruling party in the country.
They accused Wike of employing majorly PDP members from Rivers state who served under him as governor, neglecting APC members who worked for the party during the last general election.
The PDP members appointed by the Minister, his accusers said, include former Chairman of the PDP in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers, Chidi Amadi, as Chief of Staff; erstwhile state Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, as Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council; Michael Chinda as Senior Special Adviser on Land, Urban and Regional Planning; and Barivure Fred, another senior aide on Environment and Waste Management, among others.
The minister, the APC chieftains stated further, did not put into consideration the indigenes of the FCT in his appointments.
Wike is destroying the political structure of the APC and President Tinubu ahead the next election, the party leaders said.
Ekekhide said, “We want to let President Bola Tinubu know that Nyesom Wike is killing the political structure of the APC in FCT due to his lack of regard for the party and its leadership. Since assumption of office, he has refused to sit with the leadership of the party, even though the party has written him a series of letters to grant the party audience, all to no avail. We say this is unacceptable.
“You will all recall some months back when Wike was quoted as saying ‘Nobody can take over or kill my political structure in Rivers State.’ So, why is he now killing the President’s political structure in the FCT?
“The reason the APC always loses elections in the FCT is because successive ministers import strangers who do not belong to any political ward, polling unit or have voting rights as appointees. But when it is time for general elections, they will pack their baggage and travel to their various states leaving the FCT dry.
“We call on Mr. President to caution the minister. Let him start empowering the party or else, the APC will struggle to get two percent and the President may lose the next area councils election in 2027 if the situation remains this way. These recent appointments have shown that Hon. Wike wants to finally kill and bury the party. His agenda we don’t know but we will resist any further attempts to ridicule the party.”
Recall that President Tinubu appointed Wike, a PDP member as FCT minister last year, the very first time a member of the opposition was appointed into the top position since the country returned to democracy in 1999.
Not a few insist that the former governor was compensated by the president for working against his party during the 2023 presidential election.
