Wike Breaks Silence on Delta Governor, Okowa’s Defection, Taunts Atiku
- Nyesom Wike reacted as former Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and current Governor Sheriff Oborevwori dumped the PDP for the APC
- The FCT Minister also commended the Delta politicians for publicly endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections
- The minister also taunted Atiku Abubakar and noted that the defections confirmed his stance on Tinubu’s capacity to unite and develop the country
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
FCT, Abuja - Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has lauded the immediate past governor of Delta state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for expressing his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Source: Facebook
Wike also hailed the current Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for his heart-warming decision to show support for Tinubu.
Legit.ng reported that Oborevwori, his deputy, and commissioners dumped the PDP for the APC on Wednesday, April 23, alongside Dr Okowa.
A clip of the governor being serenaded with On Your Mandate, the popular political tune dedicated to President Tinubu, has since gone viral on social media.
Legit.ng reported that Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, was among Nigerians who reacted to the politicians defecting.
Source: Facebook
Wike hails Oborevwori, Okowa for backing Tinubu
Wike gave the commendation in a statement signed by his senior special assistant on public communication and social media, Lere Olayinka, in Abuja on Wednesday.
“It is another endorsement of the president’s good governance and commitment to the development of the country.”
Wike called on other Nigerians who are still sitting on the fence to throw in their support for the President, The Punch reported.
As reported by Vanguard, the minister described the open endorsement of the president by Dr Okowa, who was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, as 'a vindication of the position I took in 2023, which was based on the interest of a united Nigeria'.
“I commend Dr Okowa and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria.
“I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the Renewed Hope train,” the minister said.
This happened days after Wike criticised Abubakar, accusing him of dishonouring a key agreement reached in 2019.
The FCT Minister also defended his decision to back President Tinubu in the 2023 election, citing Atiku’s failure to honour his word.
Wike, during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja, recalled how Atiku had made a promise to him but failed to do so.
More coverage on Wike and Atiku is below:
Okowa: EFCC an instrument for party switch, coercion, historian alleges
Read also
APC reacts as Atiku’s ally says Okowa, Delta PDP leaders were harassed to join ruling party
A political historian, Dr. Thompson Olakunle Olasupo, has dismissed the recent defection of Delta state’s former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as merely another act in Nigeria’s political theatre, instead describing it as part of a deeper, systemic issue tied to the misuse of state apparatus.
"It's not new for me because in 2021, I wrote a paper on 'When I see the broom, I'll pass over you.' In that paper, I assessed the EFCC's work so far in fighting corruption," he told Legit.ng
"From my findings, I realised that the EFCC is one of the attack dogs used in cross-carpeting people. Once the EFCC is after you, most times it is two ways. First, the EFCC is either trying to tell you to move to the major party, or second, is to score a cheap political goal just for the media,” Olasupo alleged.
"The issue of Okowa, to some of us who are political historians and social commentators, is not new because we knew when the EFCC was pursuing him that - it was either of the two hypotheses."
According to him, Nigeria is experiencing state capture, where key institutions—including the “judiciary, legislature, police, and military”—are increasingly aligning with the ruling APC, often even before officials retire.
He noted that apart from Okowa, bigger names will emerge in the near future, adding that:
"2026 will be tougher because the EFCC will go after so many big dogs in the Labour Party and in PDP."
Dr Olakunle concluded that the trend is made easier by the fact that many former politicians are vulnerable to legal threats, which are exploited for political leverage.
"The most formidable has been the EFCC. It is easier to use the EFCC because most, if not all, of the ex-politicians have skeletons in their wardrobes. From Akpabio to Okowa, so it continues,” he further claimed.
He referenced a past remark from former APC chairman Adams Oshiomhole as further evidence of selective justice, saying,
"Don't forget that Adams Oshiomhole once said if you join the APC, your sins will be forgiven."
PDP governor breaks silence on APC defection
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Akwa Ibom state governor Umo Eno has denied rumours of a planned defection from the PDP to the APC.
Governor Eno earlier endorsed President Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio for second terms but described this as a strategic alliance.
The state commissioner for information, Aniekan Umanah, gave this clarification on Wednesday amid contention about the governor's latest actions.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a political historian for this report.
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Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
