Upwards of half of the members of Governor Nyesome Wike’s cabinet has indicated interest in defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Rivers State Chapter of APC said today. The claim was contained in a statement in which the party welcomed the latest set of PDP chieftains and the about 500 decampees from the camps of PDP National Deputy Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and former Deputy Governor of Rivers, Engr. Tele Ikuru.

The defectors were received last Sunday, January 10, in Ikuru town in Andoni, the home local government area of the two PDP chieftains, by APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Senator Magnus Abe, State Party Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and other APC leaders. The gale of defections continued on Monday 11th January, 2016 when Brigadier-General Elton David Amah (rtd.), erstwhile Chairman, Security Committee of Wike’s New Rivers Vision Campaign Organisation, and Chief (Hon.) Edwin Oludi, a former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Housing & Urban Development, Industries, Police Affairs, joined APC.

Also yesterday, PDP Ward 8 Rumuomasi in Obio/Akpor LGA Vice Chairman, Mr. Christian Amadi a.k.a Alafin of Rumuomasi, and Engr. Onunwo led hundreds of Wike’s kinsmen to defect from PDP to APC.

“We warmly welcome these decampees into our fold, even as we eagerly look forward to receiving almost half of the members of Wike’s cabinet who have been making overtures to us, saying that they see no future for both Wike and PDP in our great State,” Rivers APC said in a statement signed by Dr. Ikanya and issued today in Port Harcourt.

The statement commended the defectors “for their timely action,” assuring them that Rivers APC will give equal opportunities to both old and new members of the party. It advised those still in PDP “to emulate the defectors without delay as the days of Wike and PDP in the Government House will soon end.” “The truth is that there is no escape route for Wike and Rivers PDP in view of the various appeal court rulings nullifying the fraudulent elections conducted under the watch of Rivers INEC REC, Dame Gesila Khan, and ordering re-run elections in the State, which APC is poised to sweep on account of PDP’s ill reputation and Wike’s disastrous seven months in power,” the statement said.

Rivers APC dismissed the statement attributed to the Special Adviser to Wike on Inter-Party Matters, Pastor Chris Tamunoala, that the governor’s erstwhile Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah, dumped PDP for APC because Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, induced him financially. “This is not only malicious but also brings to question the credibility of those working for the outgoing Care-Taker Governor of Rivers State, as Sir Inko-Tariah in his resignation letter unequivocally cited the inhuman treatment meted to him by Wike as the principal reason for his exiting the doomed government,” Rivers APC said. It made it clear that neither the party nor Amaechi has any reason to induce anyone to join APC as the party’s track record of performance and PDP’s dismal stewardship are enough reasons for any discerning PDP member to dump the party for APC.

•Photo shows Dr. Ikanya.