By Deborah Coker
The National Vice-Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, has said the minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, sought permission through the relevant organs of the party to serve in the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike who was elected twice as governor of Rivers State under the platform of PDP was appointed Minister by President Bola Tinubu who was elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC.
However, Orbih in an interview in Abuja on Saturday said there should not be any controversy over decision of Wike, a member of PDP, to accept appointment in the Tinubu’s APC led government.
This, according to him, is because Wike is working for Nigerians and not Tinubu.
He also claimed all relevant organs of PDP endorsed the appointment of Wike as Minister by President Tinubu.
“And I can tell you there is no record that the current acting national chairman and the members of the national working committee, or any of the organ wrote him in reply to his letter that he should not participate in this government.
“He wrote to the South-South Zonal executive. We had a meeting in Port Harcourt and unanimously we said it was a call to national service, and we gave him our nod.
“He wrote to the state chapter of his party and the response was positive; that he should take the appointment as a national call for service.
“He wrote to his ward and Local Government chapters of the party. There is no organ of the party that came out to say no, don’t accept this appointment.
“He wrote to the Governors Forum and I can tell you, that at the end of the first meeting held by the forum, a delegation of that body went to congratulate him in Abuja,” he said.
He noted that political parties must be careful how they treat their members.
“Now I have told you that his participation in this government is not an issue, except for those who are mischievous.
“When he was given an invitation to serve in this government, he wrote to every critical organ of the party, informing them that Mr President has invited him to be part of his government.
“I am also aware, that not too long ago, the members of the Board of Trustees met him in his official residence, and throughout that meeting, none of them raised this issue.”
“So, Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is not working for APC; he is working for the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
The PDP National Vice-Chairman also said that his relationship with the FCT minister and his friends in other political parties could not be defined by his politics.
“Let me make it abundantly clear here that my membership of PDP cannot determine those who are my friends and those who should be my enemies.
“If at my age, I now belong to a political party and the party tells me, this man cannot be your friend, then it is wrong.
“I have friends across board. I have friends in Labour Party, APC, and in many other parties, but that doesn’t affect my membership and commitment to the PDP.
“I want to say it very clearly, PDP cannot determine my friendship with Nyesom Wike, a very dependable, hard-working friend of mine, he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
DCO/KUA
