Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has warned former President Goodluck Jonathan against defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during an interview with BBC News Pidgin, the governor said the APC will destroy the reputation of the former president if he joins the party.
Wike further asked Jonathan to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he intends to contest for the presidency again.
In 2015, Jonathan lost his reelection to Buhari, APC candidate.
“If I see the former President, I will tell him what I heard. I will tell him, don’t go anywhere because these people want to destroy your reputation. They don’t like you; you should know,” Wike said.
“What APC is doing now is to bring reputable people from PDP, and when they bring them, they destroy them so that they won’t have anywhere to go again. That’s what the APC is doing.
“I respect the former president because he is a man of integrity but if I am to advise him, I will tell him, ‘Sir, don’t make that mistake. If you want to run for President, run under PDP.
“Nigerians cherish you more than this government. They have seen that all the things the (Buhari) government promised them are lies. So, please don’t join the APC for the sake of your reputation.
“He has the right to decide whatever he wants to do but like I said before, if my former President runs for President in APC, I won’t be able to vote for APC in the election because that would be anti-party but if he runs in PDP, I will work to ensure he wins the election.”
Following a private visit by some chieftains of the APC to Jonathan in 2020, there have been speculations that the former president might join the ruling party to contest for the 2023 elections.
Jonathan has not made a public declaration if he is going to join the APC or contest for the 2023 presidency.
The APC has, however, said Jonathan will be allowed to contest for presidency again if he joins the party.
