Felix Morka, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is free support any candidate of his choice in an election.
Despite being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the minister openly campaigned for candidates of the APC in the February 21 FCT area council elections.
In some councils, PDP candidates stepped down to endorse their APC rivals, citing Wike’s influence.
Morka spoke on Monday during an interview on Channels Television progeamme, The Morning Brief.
He said Wike’s political decisions should be viewed within the context of his rights as a Nigerian citizen.
“Nyesom Wike is, first and foremost, a Nigerian, a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who also, just like you and I, has freedoms guaranteed by the constitution of our country,” Morka said.
“Freedom to engage, freedom to participate in our democracy, freedom to hold his own opinions and to express them, and to take lawful, legitimate action to back his opinion, especially in the situation of an election or a contest.”
Morka added that the issue is not about Wike’s relationship with the FCT but about his personal political convictions.
“If Nyesom Wike wants to go on campaigning for a candidate in whatever party, he has the freedom to do that,” he said.
“You cannot question their liberty to choose to support one system of politics or the other. We must all wait and let this play out in the coolness of time.”
Asked whether the APC would be comfortable if Wike were a member of the party and engaged in similar actions, Morka declined to speculate.
“Nyesom Wike is not a member of the All Progressives Congress. You’re asking me to speculate, and I will not speculate. He’s a member of the PDP,” he said.
“You should direct that question to the PDP as to how they organise their party and handle matters like this.”
Wike remains a member of the PDP despite serving in the APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The FCT minister has repeatedly dismissed reports of a possible defection to the APC and has described the PDP as a “house he built”, vowing to remain in the party and challenge what he calls internal injustices.
He also said he would not contest against Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
