By Uzair Adam
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said his opposition to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential ambition was driven by principle and not personal disappointment.
Wike clarified that his stance was not about being sidelined for the vice-presidential slot, as widely speculated, but rather rooted in his belief that power should have shifted to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
“I wanted power rotation. After eight years of Buhari, I couldn’t support power remaining in the North. It wasn’t about whether I was picked or not—it was about principle,” he said in a recent interview.
The former Rivers State Governor added that he never considered Atiku a viable option because, according to him, the former Vice President is not reliable.
“From day one, I told my delegates that Atiku doesn’t keep to his words,” Wike said, citing past experiences.
He recounted how in 2019, Atiku, alongside Bukola Saraki and Uche Secondus, assured him of nominating individuals for key ministerial positions, but later acted contrary to the agreement.
“I was told I would nominate the attorney general and minister of petroleum. After the election, I saw the legal team formed on TV, and the person I was supposed to nominate didn’t even know when it happened. That was when I laughed and called Saraki,” Wike explained.
He maintained that he never trusted Atiku’s promises and never expected to be selected as his running mate.
Wike’s remarks add another layer to the internal wrangling that plagued the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the lead-up to the 2023 elections.