The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has pledged to employ all political means at his disposal to obstruct former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s renewed presidential aspirations.
In a scathing statement issued through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, on Wednesday, the former Rivers governor expressed unequivocal satisfaction with Atiku’s controversial 2022 decision to select Delta’s Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate instead of himself.
The declaration comes in direct response to Atiku’s recent interview remarks where he maintained having “no regrets” about his vice-presidential selection process.
The simmering feud between the two political heavyweights stems from the fractious 2022 PDP primaries, where Wike – having secured second place in the presidential nomination contest – had been widely anticipated as the natural vice-presidential choice. Atiku’s eventual selection of Okowa ignited lasting tensions, with the former vice president justifying the decision as an attempt to involve broader party consultation – a pointed contrast to his unilateral 2019 selection of Peter Obi that drew significant internal criticism.
“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.”
Source: X | OlayinkaLere
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