By Our Correspondent
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as politically unreliable, accusing him of deception over the selection of his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
Wike, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, claimed Atiku misrepresented facts when he stated that he chose former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa based on a report from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), committee.
According to Olayinka, Wike never sought to be Atiku’s running mate, describing the former vice president’s explanation as a desperate attempt to defend previous falsehoods.
“The report of the committee was released to set the records straight. This has forced Atiku and his camp to admit that he ignored the PDP’s recommendations and simply picked who he wanted,” Olayinka said in a statement on Sunday.
He further accused Atiku of disregarding the PDP and misleading the public, saying: “Atiku’s media team confirmed that their principal lied when they stated that ‘committees, consultations, and recommendations are only advisory, and the final decision rests solely with the candidate.’”
Olayinka insisted that Wike has no regrets about his political choices, adding that the former Rivers State governor bears no ill feelings toward Atiku but will not allow falsehoods to go unchallenged.
On the future of the PDP, Olayinka said Atiku must first clarify his political allegiance, as the party has not merged with any other group.
He accused Atiku’s persistent presidential ambitions of being a major burden on the PDP’s stability.
