By Muhammad Mamman
Former Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has urged Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to formally declare his allegiance to the ruling party and put an end to political uncertainty.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, the Sahara Group co-founder said Wike’s continued insistence on being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while serving in an APC-led federal government, risks undermining Nigeria’s democratic clarity.
“Is he APC or is he PDP? As far as we know today, he is PDP,” Cole stated. “We cannot keep confusing the electorate in Rivers State — and Nigerians at large. It is dangerous for democracy to belong to one party and effectively control another.”
Cole maintained that a clear declaration by Wike would help stabilise politics in Rivers State and strengthen democratic practice.
“The only honourable path left is for him to join the APC formally. That way, we stand united — one bloc, no division, no confusion. Then, let PDP be PDP, Labour Party be Labour Party, ADC be ADC. That is what democracy is about: parties building their own strength and competing fairly.”
Wike, who has been central to the PDP’s internal wrangling since the 2023 general elections, has repeatedly insisted that he remains a member of the party despite his prominent role in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led administration.
