Former presidential aide and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babafemi Ojudu, has criticized the emergence of a loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State, describing the development as a threat to internal party democracy.
Ojudu’s reaction follows the emergence of Kingsley Chinda, the immediate past Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, as the APC governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
Controversy erupted after Chinda officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC weeks after securing the party’s governorship ticket.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, announced Chinda’s defection during plenary on Tuesday.
Reacting in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Ojudu questioned how a politician who was not a member of the APC at the time of its primary election could emerge as the party’s governorship flagbearer.
“How does the Minority Leader of one political party secure the governorship ticket of the ruling party and only afterwards defect to that party?” Ojudu asked.
He warned that the political situation in Rivers State was becoming increasingly troubling, adding, “Welcome to Rivers State, a state that may soon be renamed Wike State.”
According to Ojudu, political parties are traditionally built on loyalty, shared values, ideological commitments, and long-term participation.
“There are expectations—formal or informal—that those seeking a party’s ticket would have contributed to its growth, endured its struggles, respected its processes, and identified with its aspirations over time,” he said.
The APC chieftain further questioned the implications of the development on party members who have remained loyal over the years.
“What happens to those who have spent years building the party, funding it, organizing for it, defending it, and remaining loyal through difficult times? What becomes of the principles of membership, party discipline, and internal democracy?” he queried.
Meanwhile, Chinda is reportedly a member of the Rainbow Coalition, a political alliance comprising influential figures from various political parties who are backing President Bola Tinubu’s political agenda ahead of the 2027 elections.
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