ABUJA, Nigeria – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has expressed his approval of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s decision to support President Bola Tinubu, following Okowa’s defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Wike commended Okowa, the former governor of Delta State and PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, for his decision to join forces with the APC.
Okowa’s defection, along with that of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other key PDP figures, marks a significant political shift in the state, as the entire PDP structure in Delta has now collapsed into the APC.
Wike described Okowa’s move as another affirmation of President Tinubu’s governance, highlighting that it reinforces the president’s dedication to advancing the nation’s development.
He further encouraged other Nigerians still hesitant to lend their support to President Tinubu to do so, emphasizing the importance of unity in the country’s progress.
“I commend Okowa and Gov. Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by the good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria,” Wike said in his statement.
“That is what I have always told people to come out and say, not to be running up and down when they have problems.”
He added, “They have come out at the right time to show support for Mr. President so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit more from the government, and I commend them for it.”
Wike also expressed his satisfaction with how Okowa and Oborevwori’s endorsement validates his own stance during the 2023 presidential elections, which was driven by the desire for a united Nigeria.
“I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the ‘Renewed Hope train,’” Wike concluded.
