(DDM) – Former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has advised Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to formally join the ruling party and end ongoing speculation about his political loyalty.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Cole made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, where he insisted that Wike’s current political posture only deepens confusion.
According to Cole, Wike should “leave the PDP and come to the APC,” so that Nigeria’s political landscape can stabilize ahead of 2027.
The FCT Minister has been at the centre of a protracted leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since after the 2023 general elections.
While he claims to remain a PDP member, Wike has openly collaborated with the ruling APC, fueling division within the opposition.
Cole argued that Wike’s defection to the APC would strengthen democracy by allowing other parties like the PDP, ADC, LP, and YPP to build their structures without external interference.
He stressed that once Wike makes his position clear, party politics in Rivers State will become more transparent and predictable.
In his words, “I would implore him to act very simply and honorably—come and join the APC, so that we all know where we are standing, no division, no confusion.”
Cole added that clear alignments would enable political parties to test their strength at the polls rather than through shadow alliances.
Political observers note that Wike’s role in Rivers politics has been decisive since he left office as governor, particularly with his kingmaker influence over local structures.
Analysts argue that his continued claim to PDP membership, while enjoying a ministerial role in the APC government, undermines Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
The PDP has struggled to rebuild after the 2023 defeat, with Wike’s faction clashing repeatedly with party loyalists aligned to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Meanwhile, APC strategists see Wike as an asset ahead of 2027, particularly in Rivers State and the wider South-South zone, where the ruling party seeks to expand its foothold.
Critics, however, accuse both parties of opportunism, saying Nigeria’s political system has been reduced to elite bargaining rather than ideology-driven competition.
With Wike’s silence on his long-term political destination, speculation continues about whether he will finally sever ties with the PDP before the next general election.