The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will continue to work against former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to ensure he never succeeds in his bid for the presidency.
Wike made this known through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, on Wednesday, stating that he has no regrets about Atiku’s decision to overlook him as a running mate during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku, in an interview with Adesina Giwa-Osagie, had stated that he had “no regrets” about his choice of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over Wike as his running mate.
The rift between the two politicians dates back to the controversial PDP primaries of 2022, where Wike, after losing the presidential ticket to Atiku, expected to be compensated with the vice-presidential slot.
However, Atiku picked Okowa based on a recommendation from a PDP committee, which ranked Okowa as the top choice, followed by Wike and former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Atiku explained, “They said I did not consult widely in 2019 when I picked Peter Obi as my running mate, so in 2023, I told the party to set up a committee to recommend three names. I picked number one.”
Reacting to Atiku’s comments, Olayinka posted on X (formerly Twitter), reaffirming Wike’s stance against Atiku’s presidential ambitions.
**”Two years after making the @OfficialPDPNig lose a presidential election it could have won, @atiku is giving reasons he did not pick @GovWike as his running mate and that he has no regrets.
“Someone should tell our serial presidential election contester that Wike also has no regret for ensuring that he failed in the election and will make sure that he fails again and again.”**
The latest exchange signals that the political rivalry between Wike and Atiku remains far from over.
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