President Bola Tinubu has publicly welcomed the prospect of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring the party’s readiness to embrace the former Rivers State governor should he decide to defect.
Speaking during the commissioning of key infrastructure projects in Abuja’s Katampe District – including the Arterial Road N16 (Shehu Shagari Way) connecting to Wole Soyinka Way – Tinubu made his playful yet pointed invitation to the PDP stalwart.
“We have somebody—Nyesom Wike—he is not a member of my party (APC), not yet, but the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy singing ‘as e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us’,” the President remarked with evident camaraderie.
The lighthearted comment, referencing a popular Nigerian political phrase meaning “their pain is our pleasure,” drew laughter from the gathered dignitaries. Tinubu suggested Wike’s potential defection would compound the opposition’s discomfort while boosting APC’s fortunes.
Though currently maintaining his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership, Wike has maintained a working relationship with the APC-led federal government since his appointment as FCT Minister.
Political observers note Tinubu’s public courtship of Wike signals the continuing fluidity in Nigeria’s political landscape, where cross-party collaborations have become increasingly common since the 2023 elections. The President’s remarks suggest the ruling party remains actively interested in strengthening its ranks with high-profile defectors from opposition camps.
For now, Wike retains his PDP membership card, but Tinubu’s invitation leaves the door conspicuously ajar for what could become one of Nigeria’s most significant political realignments should the FCT minister choose to walk through it.
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