Gbajabiamila says he believes Wike is destined to leave PDP and defect to APC soon

HOUSE of Representatives speaker Hon Femi Gbajabiamila has declared that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is destined to quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) soon.

In late May, the PDP elected Alhaji Abubakar as its flagbearer for next year's presidential election at its annual convention in Abuja. He has since picked Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate, which has caused some consternation in the Wike camp, as some party members expected him to be selected.

Governor Wike's team is thought to feel a sense of entitlement, particularly as he came second to Alhaji Abubakar in the party primaries. Signs that the PDP might run into stormy waters became pronounced with the defection of some of Governor Wike’s supporters from the party over recent weeks, raising fears that he might follow suit too.

Aside from the recent resignations of two Wike allies including former Niger Delta minister  Godsday Orubebe and an ex-commissioner in Edo State, Kassim Afegbua, a mass exodus of party members is feared to be looming. As a result Atiku out together a team to appease the Wike camp and fully bring them into his campaign council.

Of late, however, Governor Wike has been hanging out with APC governors, inviting them to come and commission projects in Rivers State. On Friday, he then invited Hon Gbajabiamila to Port Harcourt to inaugurate the official quarters for members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Hon Gbajabiamila said: “Let me start by thanking the governor, my friend and brother, that a confession has been known to all forever that you plotted against me. It is the irony of life and indeed very interesting, the twist of fate, that those who he sat with you to plot against me are the same people who sat together at your primary to plot against you.

“So, plotting is not necessarily a new thing in politics but what is constant is that in politics, there are no permanent enemies, there are no permanent friends but what you have is permanent interest. And by God’s grace, this one that you have started, the journey that you have started that you and I both know, shall be permanent.

“I believe that when the governor finally chokes them, the members of the state assembly will be coming with him to where he is destined to be. We await you, your excellency, and very eagerly too.

“Do not let anybody intimidate you. At the appropriate time, you will tell them, you will choke them.”

However, in a recent outburst, the former lawmaker representing the Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator, Lee Meaba criticised Governor Wike for lining up a majority of Tinubu men for project commissioning in the middle of a campaign. He said it sends out the wrong message.

Senator Meaba said: “In the middle of our campaign, you line up Tinubu’s men, why do you line up Tinubu’s men? In the middle of our campaign, you are highlighting APC and Tinubu above our own candidate”.

At the commissioning of legislative quarters, Governor  Wike boasted that he will perform very well in any political party he finds himself in. He added: “Take me to the Labour Party, YPP or anywhere and I will perform."