Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has said that the defection of Governor David Umahi of Ebony State from Peoples Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress did not surprise him any bit.
Wike who is one of the leading voice of PDP said that Umahi had always been one of those PDP governors who were PDP at day by APC at night.
The Rivers governor, who spoke in a Channels Television programe ‘Politics Today on Wednesday night, said that besides Umuhai another of those governors that have been nocturnally romancing APC would follow suit.
“I can tell you, there is one PDP governor that will leave,” he said.
Wike, however, declined to give the name of the governor or when he will leave the party.
Just like Umahi, he expects the governor to “come up with another excuse” when giving reasons for his defection.
Wike said that he personally did not have any problems with Umaji or any other governor defecting to another party, saying ‘it within his rights to do so. “
He said what riled him was claims made by Umahi that he sas defecting be cause of injustice the party had meted to the Southeast.
The governor does not agree that the region had been shortchanged by the party in any way.
He cited positions held by persons of Southeast origin under past PDP administrations including Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief o Army Staff, Inspector General of Police.
Wike said the issue of zoning of the presidency had not been discussed by the party, saying that besides such arrangement is usually arrived at thrlugh diplomacy.
He said the governor lied against him, by alleging that another reason for his defection is his (the Rivers governor’s) dictatorial control of the party.
He said that persons who want to leave a party would always come up with reasons.
He said that people should ask Wike how much he contributed to the party.
“The point is that these are the people who have been playing anti-party (politics). They will be romancing with the APC in the night and coming out to PDP in the day time,” he said.
“My problem with our party is that when you speak the truth, they want to crucify you. I have raised this issue severally and severally and severally,” he said.
Umahi’s defection has created a political storm, sparking angry reactions from the PDP and cutting down the number of governors the party has in the South-East to two (Abia and Enugu). The APC controls Imo and now Ebonyi, while APGA holds sway in Anambra.
Governor Wike believes that people attribute too much power to governors when the real power lies with the people.
Citing the 2019 victories PDP recorded over incumbent APC governors in Bauchi and Adamawa, he downplayed the impact of Umahi’s defection on future elections.
“We didn’t have party structure in Adamawa, we won because the people spoke. We didn’t have party structure in Bauchi, we won. The people spoke,” he said.
“As I speak to you today, performance is what gives any party, assuming a ruling party in that state, an advantage to win a future election. It is not because you are the governor.”
He also wondered why Umahi had to wait to win reelection before ditching the party.
