The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Coalition of United Political Parties have labeled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as a traitor who is working to undermine the PDP and harm Nigerians’ interest.
Wike, during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, stated that discussions about a coalition to remove President Bola Tinubu were insincere, adding that those leading the efforts were driven by selfish motives.
On March 20, 2025, Atiku, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai announced the formation of a coalition aimed at challenging Tinubu’s reelection in 2027.
The coalition has triggered ongoing debates regarding the possibility of opposition unity, with political figures offering mixed reactions.
In response to the coalition, Wike, a PDP leader, accused Atiku and others of avoiding the problems plaguing the PDP.
He said, “Those looking for a coalition are doing so for selfish interests, the likes of Atiku and other people. Which coalition, with whom?
“Why not come in to repair your party? Everybody wants to become president of the country, nobody wants to say, look, let me build our party so that at the end of the day, our party will be in a formidable position as an opposition party to take over power.
“You don’t do that, the only thing you want to do is ‘let me find a way; how I will be the one.’ And if that does not happen, then it’s to your tent, oh Israel,” the immediate past governor of Rivers State said.
Reacting, Atiku, through his media aide, Paul Ibe, said Wike has no moral authority to discuss integrity, alleging him of betraying the PDP.
The former Vice President explained that the coalition involved genuine Nigerians who are committed to ending the APC’s style of governance, emphasising that the people were resolute in their mission to reclaim and rebuild the nation.
He stated “ Wike is not in a position to talk about sincerity. This is a man who betrayed his party, a man working with the APC to destroy and undermine his own party and the interests of Nigerians. So, what does he know about sincerity? Nothing.
“If he wants to speak on sincerity, let him talk to his principal, Tinubu, an absentee President running government from the Presidential Villa’s WhatsApp group. Wike should be sincere to President Tinubu to return home and do his job.”
“Wike is not in a position to talk to anybody. Wike is working against his own state where he was once governor. He is trying to ensure he has absolute control of the government in Rivers, working in cahoots with Abuja to get the governor suspended. It is unfortunate that they just open their filthy mouths and speak on things they know nothing about.
“As for the coalition, the sincere Nigerians are determined to end the reckless, irresponsible, clueless APC government. Nigerians want to reclaim their country. The coalition presents Nigerians with a vehicle. Atiku Abubakar and others who are involved in it are just tools to an end. This is about Nigeria.”
On his part, the National Secretary of CUPP, Peter Ahmeh, described Wike as someone who shouldn’t be taken seriously.
In an exclusive interview with newsmen, Ahmeh, a close ally of Obi, accused Wike of serving APC’s interests.
He stated “Wike is doing the APC’s bidding. He’s working in the APC government and aiming to support an APC president in 2027. He wants to discredit the coalition because it seeks to democratically remove President Tinubu, his principal. His actions go against the interest of suffering Nigerians, simply to protect his position — a clear reflection of how selfish Wike is.
“And people cannot use Wike’s statement as a reference for sincerity. Because you cannot tell me, that if you do proper research now, you won’t find several contradictions in what Wike had said—how he claimed he would never go to the APC, never move to this one, never work with that one. There are contradictions.
“So, we don’t take Wike seriously and nobody should. Because if there’s anybody today who has been selfish about his interest over Nigeria, who has said one thing, meant another, and done something else, it is Wike himself.”
The PUNCH
