There’s no let-off in the war of words between known political foes in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as ex-vice president, Atiku Abubakar has hit back at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, telling him he’s still bitter for the defeat he suffered in 2023 while seeking the presidential ticket of the party.
Although both politicians enjoyed a lukewarm political relationship before the primary, things worsened after Wike lost out to Atiku, and desperately sought to be the running mate but was overlooked after a committee of the party had chosen him as the preferred choice.
Atiku settled for “a cool and calm, gentle and refined” Ifeanyi Okowa, then governor of Delta State to Wike’s anger and disappointment.
Wike broke out of the PDP presidential campaign and pitched tent with the All Progressives Congress, where he led five of the PDP governors to after vowing “to teach some people a lesson), referring to Atiku’s decision to overrule the committee’s report.
Since then, both have squared up in proxies, throwing jibes and whining each other and supporters up in apparent fight for dominance.
Although Wike is a minister in the ruling party, he has maintained he remains a PDP member, something stakeholders and supporters of Atiku and party have wondered why the former vice president can not rally the party to ensure the minister is expelled from the party.
The latest war of words began when Atiku mocked Wike after his successor and one-time ally, Sim Fubara, ignored all entreaties and protests to conduct the Rivers State LG polls.
In a statement aftermath of the election which was won by the Action Peoples Party (APP), Atiku had said, it has now “been revealed that the citizens of Rivers are astute and resolute, unwavering in their rejection of any form of political oppression, harassment, or the machinations of self-serving godfathers.”
Often one not to ignore jibes, the minister on Saturday replied to his fellow party man at a function in Port Harcourt saying, “If you say for an election we did not contest, never participated in, that it shows Nigerians have rejected us, fine. You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians have rejected you, so pack up and go home.”
But responding to the attack that “Nigerians have rejected you,” Atiku who spoke through Paul Ibe, his Media Adviser, said, “Wike’s comments are nothing more than a string of inanities, lacking substance and driven by personal grievances.”
Atiku argued that, “If he truly believes Nigerians are content with the current state of affairs under the government he serves, it reveals a deeper truth: his priorities lie not with the people but with himself.”
According to the PDP Presidential Candidate in the last election, Wike’s “self-absorption is evident in his preoccupation with domestic affairs in Rivers rather than his ministerial responsibilities.
“While he may seek to divert attention with his baseless rants, we remain focused on the genuine issues affecting Nigerians.
“It is clear that Mr. Wike is more concerned with self-interest than addressing the real challenges faced by the nation.
“In contrast, our commitment remains unwavering, centred on the welfare and progress of the people.
“Mr. Wike appears to delight in conjuring fantasies, indulging in his imagination, and paying for live TV coverage to launch tirades against whomever he pleases.
“However, we shall not descend into the gutters where he feels at home. Instead, we prefer to rise above, maintaining our dignity while others revel in the mud.”
He emphasised that the recent remarks made by Wike, can only be described as another of his “theatrical outbursts,” adding that “Nigerians are well acquainted with his antics, a lingering symptom of the bitterness he harbours from his defeat to the Wazirin Adamawa at the 2022 party presidential primaries.”