With the November 2023 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo State drawing near, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have named Nyesom Wike as a member of their campaign councils for the South-South state.
Wike, a former Rivers State Governor, fell out with the PDP just before the presidential election but President Bola Tinubu of the APC later appointed him as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
While he has yet to resign as a member of the PDP, the minister was named as a member of the APC campaign council for the Bayelsa governorship election.
“The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), H. E. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, in consultation with the National Working Committee (NWC), has approved the composition of the Bayelsa State National Gubernatorial Campaign Council with the primary purpose of leading the Gubernatorial Campaign in Bayelsa State and ensuring the triumph of our great Party at the November 11, 2023 Governorship election,” the party said in a statement announcing the council.
Aside from Wike, the council has Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as the chairman. The co-chairmen are Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
Weeks before Wike’s appointment by the ruling party, the PDP had also listed him as a member of its campaign council for the Bayelsa governorship election.
The former governor, who is a member of the “G5 governors” of the PDP, was named alongside some members of the group, a former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom; a former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and a former Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Although the PDP has yet to comment on the matter, many are watching to see how the intrigues unfold ahead of the off-season elections.