By Obinna Uballa
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at governors and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying their move vindicates him after years of being accused of undermining the opposition party.
Speaking on Wednesday during the flag-off of the construction of the main carriageways of the Outer Southern Expressway in Abuja, Wike said those who once branded him a mole in the PDP have now joined the same ruling party they accused him of working for.
“I have been watching on television and social media, people who said I wanted to destabilise the PDP and that I was working for the APC. All of them are now in the APC,” Wike said. “So, if it’s true that I was working for the APC, they should commend me for paving the way for where they are heading. I should be applauded for doing a good job.”
Wike’s comments come amid a wave of high-profile defections from the PDP to the APC. Within 48 hours, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State both resigned their membership of the PDP. Mbah formally joined the ruling party on Tuesday.
The defections have further weakened the opposition, reducing the number of PDP-controlled states from 11 in October 2024 to just eight as of October 2025.
Wike attributed the governors’ decision to President Bola Tinubu’s decisive leadership, which, he said, had improved federal revenue allocation and fiscal stability across the country.
“I was a governor for eight years. Back then, we were running around banks to borrow money to do projects. Sometimes, the monthly allocation wasn’t even enough to pay salaries, let alone embark on capital projects,” he recalled.
“Today, because of one man’s decisive leadership, states and the FCT no longer chase banks for loans, it’s the banks now running after them. Every state now has money, not only to pay salaries but also to execute meaningful projects. It was never like this before.”
Wike described the wave of defections as a “worthwhile” political realignment in support of Tinubu’s vision, adding that governors now have the financial stability to govern responsibly without leaving heavy debts for their successors.
“So, if people are joining the president to support this kind of leadership, it’s worthwhile,” he said. “Now, no governor will leave debts for his successor like before. What this country needs now is visionary and purposeful leadership, someone who can take bold decisions others were too afraid to take.”
