The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said the 16 defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are free to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike, who stated this on Friday while addressing journalists, added that his camp would continue to work with the remaining lawmakers still loyal to the party.
16 lawmakers, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, announced their defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during a plenary session of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday.
The former Rivers state governor, while reacting to the development, described it as unfortunate, adding that the party’s internal crisis contributed to the lawmakers’ exit.
“Well, it’s unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, they are allowed to leave the party.
“You will see that it’s not everybody who has left. I believe 16 or 17 of them have left out of 27. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together. They never told me, but they have a right,” he said.
