As the November 2023 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States approach, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have enlisted Nyesom Wike’s involvement in their campaign councils for the South-South state.
Wike, formerly the Governor of Rivers State, experienced a falling out with the PDP prior to the presidential election. However, President Bola Tinubu of the APC subsequently appointed him as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Despite remaining a PDP member without resigning, Wike has been named a part of the APC campaign council for the Bayelsa governorship election.
The APC announced the composition of the Bayelsa State National Gubernatorial Campaign Council, indicating that it aims to lead the gubernatorial campaign and secure victory for the party in the November 11, 2023 Governorship election. The council is led by Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya as the chairman. The co-chairpersons include Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume.
Before his involvement with the ruling party, the PDP had already named Wike as a member of its campaign council for the Bayelsa governorship election. This list included other members of the “G5 governors” within the PDP, such as Samuel Ortom, former Governor of Benue State; Okezie Ikpeazu, former Governor of Abia State; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Governor of Enugu State.
While the PDP has yet to provide an official statement on the situation, the unfolding dynamics ahead of the upcoming off-season elections are being closely observed.