I will make sure you lose Presidential bid again – FCT Minister Wike promises Atiku
I will make sure you lose Presidential bid again – FCT Minister Wike promises Atiku
Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has vowed to use every means at his disposal to ensure that Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), does not succeed in his presidential ambitions.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 26, through his media aide Lere Olayinka, Wike expressed that he has no regrets regarding Atiku’s decision to overlook him as a potential running mate ahead of the 2023 elections. This remark came in response to Atiku’s recent interview with Adesina Giwa-Osagie, where the former presidential hopeful reiterated that he had “no regrets” about not choosing Wike for the vice-presidential spot.
The rift between the two politicians can be traced back to the 2022 PDP primaries, where Wike, who had anticipated being selected as Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate, was instead passed over in favor of Ifeanyi Okowa, the former Governor of Delta State.
Atiku, defending his choice, explained that he deliberately left the decision about his vice-presidential running mate to the party after facing criticism over his 2019 selection of Peter Obi, which many felt lacked adequate consultation.
“I allowed the party to set up a committee to recommend three names for vice-president,” Atiku said, adding that the committee ranked Okowa first, Wike second, and former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel third.
Reacting to Atiku’s statement, Olayinka in a terse statement on his X handle, disclosed that his principal, Wike, has no regret over losing the slot to Okowa.
The statement reads: “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.”
