The rift between Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar escalated over the weekend as Wike fired back at the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, labelling him a “serial loser.”
Wike’s remarks came after Atiku criticized him over the outcome of the local government elections in Rivers State, where the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 of the 23 chairmanship positions, a result Atiku suggested indicated Wike’s rejection by the people of Rivers.
In a pointed response during a luncheon in honor of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Rivers State, Wike dismissed Atiku’s claims, instead directing attention to Atiku’s repeated electoral defeats.
“We never contested local government elections. Did we contest [Rivers LG election]? Did we pick form?” Wike said.
“I hear Atiku Abubakar say, ‘Oh, they have rejected me in Rivers State.’ Okay, assuming though not conceding, he had lost so many times, Nigerians have also rejected him.”
Wike went further, reminding Atiku of his losses in both the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections. “You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians have rejected you, therefore pack and go home,” Wike added bluntly.
The Wike-Atiku Feud: A Long-Running Rift
Tensions between the two political figures date back to the lead-up to the 2023 election when Atiku secured the PDP presidential ticket, beating Wike and other contenders. Wike, then governor of Rivers State, was vocal in his criticism of Atiku’s victory, arguing that it was the turn of southern Nigeria to produce the country’s president, not the north where Atiku hails from.
This dispute led to the formation of the “G-5” faction within the PDP, comprised of five then-governors, including Wike, who opposed Atiku’s candidacy and worked against him during the presidential campaign. As a result, Rivers, traditionally a PDP stronghold, swung in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election, contributing to Atiku’s defeat.
Following the election, Wike was appointed as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s APC government, further straining relations within the PDP. While calls have been made to suspend Wike from the party, he has defended his actions as a matter of “equity and justice,” insisting that his stance was based on the need for power to return to southern Nigeria, where he and Tinubu are from.
As the war of words between Wike and Atiku continues, it appears the wounds from the 2023 election are far from healed, with both political heavyweights trading blows in what remains a highly charged and personal rivalry.