Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the South-South region, has said that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike is working in service of Nigeria, not for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Orbih stated, “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 explained that Wike’s appointment to President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet was made with the full knowledge and approval of relevant PDP structures.
“Wike sought permission from the party before accepting the appointment.
He wrote to the South-South zonal executive, and during a meeting in Port Harcourt, we unanimously agreed it was a call to national service and gave our approval,” Orbih said.
According to him, Wike also notified the state, local government, and ward chapters of the PDP, all of which supported his decision.
“No part of the party rejected his appointment,” he emphasized.
Orbih added that Wike informed the PDP Governors’ Forum, and after their first meeting, a delegation from the forum visited Wike in Abuja to congratulate him.
He stressed that political parties should treat their members with caution and that Wike’s involvement in the Tinubu-led administration should not be seen as controversial.
“He officially informed all key organs of the party about his invitation to join the government,” he noted.
Orbih also mentioned that the PDP Board of Trustees had met with Wike recently, and no concerns were raised regarding his role in the current administration.
Speaking on a personal note, he said political affiliations should not define friendships.
“At my age, if a party tells me who I can or cannot be friends with, that’s unacceptable.
Wike is a dependable and hardworking friend, and my relationship with him stands,” Orbih concluded.