THE Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said that democracy, rule of law and separation of powers had suffered extremely in the current dispensation, adding that the gale of defection since Tuesday was instructive.
Wike explained that the mass defection in the National Assembly was also an indication that the will of the people and the liberty of any person to choose the political parties that he wanted to belong remained supreme.
The governor, who spoke on Wednesday through the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Emma Okah, pointed out that the defection by some All Progressives Congress members in the National Assembly showed that political parties would now be careful on how they treat their members.
“The institutions of democracy, rule of law, separation of powers, etc, have suffered enormously for some time now. The development yesterday, wherein people feel that time has come for them to move is very instructive.
“The people’s will must prevail and those who lead must lead with the understanding and appreciation of the fact that the people’s will is supreme. So, to all intent and purposes, the liberty of the persons to choose which party they want to belong without fear or favour was put to play.”
“For whatever it is worth, political parties will now be a lot more careful on how they treat their members.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Wike had said that the defection by some national lawmakers from the All Progressive Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party showed the direction the country was headed in 2019.
The governor spoke during the celebration of 40 years of legal practice of former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN), by Okpo Club of Nigeria (Association of Ikwerre Lawyers Worldwide) and the Inaugural Kolo Club Awards on Tuesday.
“Democracy is taking shape in Nigeria. I hope you are aware that the PDP has taken over the Senate. We are likely going to take over at the House of Representatives,” he said.
On the celebration of Chief OCJ Okocha, the governor explained that he (Okocha) deserved the honour of the people.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress has described the defection of 15 senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives from the ruling APC to the PDP and the African Democratic Congress as the beginning of the end for the APC.
The Chairman, ADC in Ogun State, Dr Gbolade Osinowo, said in a statement on Wednesday that the lawmakers had indicated, with their defection, that they were sorry for being part of a party that had misled Nigerians and caused them pain for so long.
He said, “The ADC, Ogun State, welcomes the news of the defection of over 50 lawmakers from the APC to the PDP and the ADC with great pleasure.
“The 15 senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives, who officially left the ruling party on Tuesday, despite the co-ordinated oppression by the leaders of the ruling party in collaboration with the security agencies, signalled the beginning of the end of APC rule in Nigeria.”
Source: Punch
