The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the sixteen Rivers State lawmakers who left the Peoples Democratic Party are entitled to take their own political decisions.
Wike spoke on Friday while briefing journalists, noting that his political camp would continue to work with the lawmakers who remain in the party.
Sixteen members of the Assembly, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, had earlier announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress during Friday’s plenary, a development that has deepened tension in the state.
Reacting to the switch, the former Rivers State governor described the move as regrettable and linked it to unresolved internal disputes within the PDP.
“Well, it’s unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, they are allowed to leave the party.
“You will see that it’s not everybody who has left. I believe 16 or 17 of them have left out of 27. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together. They never told me, but they have a right,” he said.
He added that despite the defections, the remaining lawmakers are still committed to working with his faction of the party.
0 Comments