Wike mocks Amaechi as ex-Rivers commissioner Parker dumps APC for PDP

Governor Nyesom Wike

APC has lost one of its top members in Rivers state

Sampson Parker has announced his defection from the ruling party APC to PDP

The former health commissioner was welcomed into the opposition train by Governor Nyesom Wike

Sampson Parker, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, has resigned his membership of the party.

Parker, who served as Rivers health commissioner under former governor Rotimi Amaechi who is now the minister of transport, dumped APC over alleged irreconcilable differences.

The former commissioner has since pitched his tents with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with his defection strengthening Governor Nyesom Wike's camp.

Receiving Parker, Wike noted that the former commissioner is one of the bigwigs used by God to install Amaechi as the governor in 2007.

According to the Rivers governor, Parker's sensational return is a "homecoming to the PDP family", adding that his defection came at the right time.

Wike also urged the members of PDP not to discriminate against the newcomer as he sued for unity and love.

In his words:

"Dr Parker was one of those God used alongside some of us to bring Amaechi in as Governor of Rivers State in 2007. "We thought from that time, everybody will be united, but we didn’t know some persons had different plans, but God’s plan is always the best. “When I was leaving in 2012, I told Dr Parker that things were not moving well and I am going, but he insisted that I should remain as there was a need for us to continue to be together."

In a related development, Legit.ng recalls that Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, a former Lagos State commissioner for home affairs, parted ways with APC.

Popularly known as Iyepe, the former commissioner dumped the ruling party because of his governorship ambition in 2023, a speech on his Facebook page indicates.

It was understood that prior to his defection, Abdullateef had publicly declared that he would throw hat into the rings in the 2023 general elections.