The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the internal crisis in the party.
He spoke on Wednesday in Abuja during a media briefing to mark his first year in office as the FCT Minister.
Despite being a PDP member, Wike was appointed Minister by President Bola Tinubu and speculations of a crossover to the All Progressives Congress have trailed the former Rivers State governor since that appointment.
The internal wrangling in the PDP has been worsened by the fallout between Wike and his predecessor in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with both men fighting for the control of the party in the state.
Asked during the media parley if he would leave the PDP if the crisis in Rivers persists, Wike said, “I don’t run away from a fight.”
“I have told you that I don’t run away from a fight. I will stay there and fight it out. Who am I going to run from? The vampires?” he said.
“Did I not say I won’t support the presidential candidate of PDP? Did I do it secretly?”
The crisis in Rivers State has also resulted in the balkanization of the state’s house of assembly, with Wike saying that the state’s legislative arm must be allowed to function.
According to him, it is “impunity and madness” for three lawmakers to constitute the Rivers assembly and pass the state budget.
“I have made it very clear that the Rivers house of assembly must work. You sit in your house and say three people will constitute an assembly. You say these people have defected; who pronounces defection?” Wike said.
“You have gone to court several times, but you can wait for the judgment of the court.”