Speaking on Wednesday during the flag-off of the Outer Southern Expressway carriageway construction in Abuja, Wike expressed satisfaction that key political figures who once slammed him for “destabilising the PDP” are now openly joining the ruling APC.
“I have been watching on daily television and social media — people who said I was working against the PDP. Today, all of them are in the APC,” Wike said.
“If that was truly my agenda, then I deserve credit. I did a good job preparing the path they’re now walking.”
His comments come amid a wave of defections that has shaken the PDP’s leadership core. In the last 48 hours alone, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State – along with 19 Bayelsa House of Assembly members – have announced their departure from the PDP to join the APC.
With these exits, the PDP has seen its number of governors dwindle from 11 in October 2024 to just 8, a dramatic shift as the country gears up for the
2027 general elections.Wike credited the sweeping shift in allegiance to President Bola Tinubu’s “decisive leadership”, which he claims has stabilised federal allocations and empowered states to execute ambitious projects without accumulating debt.
“As a former governor, I remember chasing banks just to fund salaries. Today, banks are the ones chasing states,” he stated.
“This is only possible because of strong leadership. Now, states are not only paying salaries with ease, but they’re also building real projects. That wasn’t the case before.”
According to Wike, the shift in fiscal fortunes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT has created a governance environment where debt burdens are no longer passed to successors, a common practice in the past.
Wike framed the defections as a natural response to good governance, arguing that Tinubu’s administration has delivered results where others merely made promises.
“If supporting Mr President means delivering development and ending debt traps, then it’s absolutely worth it,” he said.
“What Nigeria needs now is visionary leadership – not excuses.”
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