President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday jokingly described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as the “National Leader of the winning faction” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Akpabio made the remark during the commissioning of access roads to the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates in the Karsana District of the FCT as part of activities marking President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office.
The exchange began after Wike, while introducing the Senate President, described him as an “uncommon performer” during his tenure as Governor of Akwa Ibom State under the PDP.
Responding, Akpabio urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to misinterpret Wike’s remarks, noting that he served as governor before the APC was formed.
“Members of the National Working Committee of the APC, please ignore the comment of the minister that I was an uncommon performer in the PDP. He is not talking about the PDP of today. You need to know that at that time there was no APC,” he said.
The Senate President recalled that he assumed office as governor in 2007, several years before the APC was established in 2014.
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“APC was born in about 2014, and by that time I was already seven and a half years as governor. That’s why I sometimes refer to myself as an ancestor,” he said.
Akpabio stated that although he governed on the platform of the PDP, he always considered himself a progressive politician and promptly joined the APC after its formation.
“I was sworn into office way back in 2007 and there was no APC then. A progressive-minded person like me should belong to a progressive family.
Therefore, when the APC came to be, I discovered that that was my group and I was in the wrong party called the PDP.
So, I exited early and joined the progressives. Shortly after that, you now know what happened to the PDP.”
Taking a swipe at the opposition party’s internal divisions, Akpabio praised Wike for his political influence within the PDP.
“They fragmented. I don’t know how you are going to put it today, but I recognise you as the National Leader of the winning faction of the PDP because you are doing well,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.