In a revealing interview on Arise TV, PDP stalwart Lere Olayinka has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s party status while serving in an APC government, drawing interesting parallels with historical cross-party appointments in Nigerian politics.
“Wike belongs to the PDP till tomorrow morning. He is in PDP,” Olayinka stated emphatically, addressing ongoing debates about Wike’s party loyalty. He challenged critics who question Wike’s PDP membership due to his current role: “You see, people will always come and tell you that, ‘Oh, because he’s a minister under APC government.'”
In a significant historical parallel, Olayinka cited the case of current PDP Governors Forum Chairman, Bala Mohammed. “Is Wike the first Nigerian to be minister under an opposition government?” he asked rhetorically, before revealing, “The Chairman of PDP Governor Forum, that is, Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed was elected senator in 2006 under the platform of ANPP, All Nigeria People’s Party.”
Olayinka then detailed Mohammed’s political trajectory: “While still in the Senate as a senator, Bala Mohammed took appointment as Minister under a PDP government. He resigned, he left the mandate the people of Bauchi gave him, and he went to join a PDP government, the PDP government of Jonathan.”
Particularly noteworthy was Olayinka’s revelation about the timeline of Mohammed’s party switch: “At the time he was nominated as Minister, he was in ANPP. At the time he was confirmed by the Senate, he was in ANPP. At the time he was sworn in as Minister, he did not join PDP until after three or four months.”
This historical context provides new perspective on the current debate about cross-party appointments and party loyalty in Nigerian politics. Olayinka’s account suggests that such arrangements have precedent in Nigerian political history and shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as acts of party disloyalty.
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