The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has openly declared his opposition to former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s future ambitions, vowing to work against him in any upcoming election, particularly the 2027 presidential race.
Wike, through his media aide Lere Olayinka, emphasized that he has no regrets about Atiku’s choice to overlook him as a running mate during the 2023 presidential election, asserting that he remains resolute in ensuring Atiku does not achieve his presidential aspirations.
Atiku, in a recent interview with Adesina Giwa-Osagie, reaffirmed that he has “no regrets” regarding his decision to pick former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over Wike as his vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 election. His statement comes amidst ongoing political friction between both politicians, which stems from the controversial PDP primaries in 2022.
During the primaries, Wike was a major contender and had expected to be considered for the vice-presidential slot after losing to Atiku. However, instead of making a unilateral decision, Atiku allowed the party to form a selection committee responsible for recommending three potential running mates.
“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,” Atiku explained during the interview.
According to Atiku, the committee ranked Ifeanyi Okowa as the most suitable candidate, placing Wike in second position, while former Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel was ranked third.
“So I picked number one,” Atiku stated, defending his decision to go with Okowa.
Reacting to Atiku’s comments, Wike’s media aide, Olayinka, maintained that Wike remains firm in his stance and has no remorse over his past actions, which contributed to Atiku’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Olayinka asserted that Wike would continue to ensure Atiku’s repeated failures in future elections.
Posting on X, Olayinka wrote: “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.”
He further added: “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.”
SEE POST:
“No regrets of losing the VP slot, I will ensure you lose again and again!” ~ Wike’s media aide Lere Olayinka declared that his principal would actively oppose Atiku’s 2027 presidential ambitions, suggesting that Atiku’s pursuit of the presidency is futile. After Vice… pic.twitter.com/T1HLdvQFqA
— PB (@Pep_Boxx) March 26, 2025
