It clearly stated by Sowunmi, that a prominent figure within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Nyesom Wike has communicated his interest in aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to participate in governance. Sowunmi underscored the importance of allegiance to the party, making it clear that Wike’s desire to engage in governmental duties should not be construed as abandonment of the party
During an interview session, Sowunmi outlined his expectations regarding the party’s response to Wike’s overture. He suggested that the party should have temporarily suspended Wike’s membership until he concluded his engagements with the APC. Sowunmi contended that such action would have divested Wike of his sway over the party in Rivers State and prevented his attendance at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) gatherings.
Elaborating on his stance, Sowunmi underscored the significance of discipline and adherence to the party’s fundamental principles. He emphasized that prioritizing the PDP is paramount, even above personal ambitions or interactions with other political factions. He posited that Wike’s decision to suspend his membership could contribute to upholding accountability and safeguarding the party’s integrity
During an interview, he remarked, “Wike wrote a letter saying he has been invited to form a government with the ruling party. In a disciplined party members’ loyalty, he’s saying I’m not leaving the party, I’m only serving the country. What I would have expected from those in the chance of the party is to say thank you very much for informing us that you have invited us to serve. Please go there and be a good representative of the best capacity of our party. And then tell him we are freezing your membership until you are done with that and then tell him the consequence of the freeze. You are not going to be in charge of our party structure in Rivers. You can’t attend our NEC meeting because you can’t serve two masters at the same time.
