Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress was driven by his conviction that his political ideals aligned more closely with the ruling party.
Akpabio made the remark on Friday during the inauguration of access roads leading to the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates in the Karsana District of the Federal Capital Territory as part of activities marking President Bola Tinubu’s third year in office.
Responding to comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who described him as an “uncommon performer” during his time in the PDP, Akpabio urged APC members not to misinterpret the praise.
“Please ignore the comment of the honourable minister that I was an uncommon performer in PDP. He is not talking about PDP of today,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President explained that he had spent more than seven years as governor of Akwa Ibom State before the APC was established in 2014 and later concluded that the party reflected his political orientation.
“A progressive-minded person like me should belong to a progressive family. And therefore, when APC came to be, I discovered that that was my group, that I was in the wrong party called PDP. So I took my exit early and joined the progressives,” he said.
Akpabio also commented on developments within the opposition party, describing it as divided while commending Wike for his influence and performance.
“Shortly after that, you now know what happened to PDP. They are fragmented. So, I don’t know how you are going to put it together, but I recognise you as a national leader, national leader of the winning faction of PDP because you are doing well,” he said.
Reflecting on his relationship with the FCT minister, Akpabio recalled Wike’s visit to Akwa Ibom during his tenure as governor, saying the former Rivers governor had long demonstrated a strong interest in infrastructure development.
According to him, Wike later fulfilled his promise to pursue major projects after becoming governor of Rivers State, adding that delivering infrastructure had become part of the minister’s “DNA.”
