Former Rivers state governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has called on Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to make his political allegiance explicit.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, September 12, the Tonye Cole advised Wike to formally join the APC in order to end doubts over his loyalties.

Wike, a former Rivers governor, has been at the heart of a deepening leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the 2023 general elections, while serving in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s APC-led government.

Speaking on Friday, Cole argued that Wike’s defection would not only clarify his political stance but also strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and bring stability to Rivers state politics.

“Is he (Wike) APC or is he PDP? As far as we know today, he is PDP,” Cole said.

“We cannot continue confusing the electorate in Rivers state and confusing Nigerians because it is dangerous for democracy; that you are in one party, and you are controlling another party.

“The only person who is left to make a declaration as to where he stands in all of this is the minister, Nyesom Wike.

“Where I would implore him to act honourably is to come and join the APC. Leave the PDP, come and join the APC so that we all know now that we are standing in one bloc — no division, no confusion, nothing.

“Allow PDP to be, allow ADC to be, allow Labour Party to be, allow YPP to be. That’s what democracy is about.”

Interestingly, Wike has repeatedly insisted that he remains a PDP member despite his role in the APC-led administration.