Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated on Thursday that if Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had the authority, he would have undoubtedly awarded the party’s presidential ticket to himself.
Atiku’s comments came as a rebuttal to Wike’s assertion that he would not be permitted to become the PDP’s candidate in the 2027 elections.
During a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike expressed his belief that Atiku has no viable chance in the 2027 race, claiming that the former Vice President is actively seeking another opportunity to lead the party but would ultimately be denied.
Wike remarked, “He is lobbying for another chance, but that chance will not exist. In which party? How can we depend on one individual for so many years?”
In response, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, reminded Wike of the lessons he learned during the 2019 election cycle.
Shaibu stated, “If Wike had the ability to distribute presidential tickets like they were party favors, he would certainly have kept one for himself. After all, Atiku thoroughly educated him and his chosen protégé in his own territory during the 2019 election and then handed him a decisive loss in the 2023 primaries held in Abuja.”
He added, “Despite Wike’s public declaration that Tinubu is destined for victory in 2027, he seems fixated on who should represent the PDP.”
Shaibu questioned the timing of Wike’s concerns, emphasizing that the focus should be on pressing issues affecting Nigerians. “The escalating hunger is becoming intolerable; we need to address these urgent matters rather than engage in political maneuvering for 2027,” he concluded.
