Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori‘s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a deliberate and smart decision to avoid political pretence.
Wike said Oborevwori’s open support for President Bola Tinubu while still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was a conflict he chose to resolve by switching sides.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja, Wike explained that Oborevwori made the decision to leave the party because he refused to live in pretense by supporting President Tinubu while still a member of the PDP.
Wike stated, “If you don’t show leadership, you suffer for it.”
He further questioned the criticism surrounding Oborevwori’s move, saying: “When people talk about the governor of Delta State and his deputy and all his team moved out of PDP to APC. What? What wrong did he do? He said he was going to support the President. That’s the crime, but the Chairman of the Board of Trustees – the conscience of the party – adopted Alex Otti for second tenure. Why are people not commenting about that? He adopted the governor under Labour Party to go for second term.”
Wike also emphasized Okowa’s straightforward decision, saying: “Now this man (Oborevwori) said, look, I’m not going to do that kind of pretense. I will not be here and go and support him. Smart politician.”
The minister expressed surprise that the PDP did not anticipate Oborevwori’s defection, adding: “I’m surprised that PDP said they didn’t see it coming. I won’t call the names of the governors. I call them. I said, ‘listen the way things are going, I have warned you people’. You said they are governors. I have no problem. Let’s see what will happen.”