Demola Olarenwaju, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said the attack on All Progressives Congress (APC) governors by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, stems from President Bola Tinubu's lack of trust in them.
During an interview on Arise TV, Wike described the APC governors as neither here nor there, emphasising how Tinubu secured low votes in some of the states they control in the 2023 presidential election.
The minister particularly attacked Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, referencing how the governor backed another candidate against Tinubu during the 2022 APC presidential primaries.
He said, "With all due respect to you, when I see the people (APC Governors) who read that press conference, they are smart like 419ers, but they are politically lazy; they are neither here nor there. I have never gone to the Governors Forum to form alliance with Rainbow Coalition. I have never gone to the APC to form an alliance. When in 2023, we decided to support Tinubu, people like Hope didn't say it till after the President's election.
"They are carrying propaganda of illiteracy and all that. Let us check the background of their leadership. During the APC Primary, Hope supported Ahmad Lawan; the President won him. During the G5, was there any time we had any meeting with the Progressive Governors Forum or with their party? We met with the President directly and said we will support you, and I have never hidden that. This is because my belief that it is the turn of the South to produce the Presidency, with Buhari being President for eight years, so it will be unfair if it returns to the North. So the G5 supported Mr President; now they didn't know that the G5 Coalition would affect Mr President. But let me take Hope, for example: in 2023, he was Governor of Imo State, of APC stock. Mr President couldn't even get 10 per cent, but he took two Senators, and LP took one Senator in his own state. Now, is he saying that the people of Imo were confused or were not confused?
"As a sitting Governor under an APC government, you could not give the President 10 per cent. Labour Party scored 360,000, and APC scored 66,000.
"In Ebonyi, the same thing and the President lost woefully, yet they (APC) took all three Senators in an election that was held the same day. So in that case, what happened? So, the electorate knew how to vote for President for another party, then APC for the National Assembly. So Hope is telling us that something was added to it. That Nigerians should really come and check what happened. You just don't come out and say things you are not sure of. I have never, one day, sat down with the Progressive Governors Forum or with their party; I have no business for that."
Reacting, Atiku's aide said Tinubu's lack of trust in the governors is why he assigned himself the chairmanship of his presidential campaign council.
He shared on X, "For the first time since 1999, a sitting President and party candidate is the Chairman of his presidential campaign council - Tinubu doesn’t trust any APC Governor to deliver votes for him because he believes they don’t have capacity. Wike will keep dragging them if they talk."
In another post, he said, "Wike serves at the whims and pleasure of Aso Rock, whereas APC Governors may still be Governors even when Bola Tinubu loses.
"Wike’s value to Bola Tinubu is far higher than the value of APC Governors collectively, and his media engagement is proof.
"Hope Uzodinma cannot compare the votes he could bring from Imo to the votes Wike could bring from Rivers or FCT if Obi doesn’t get himself together.
"Rainbow coalition is flying the colours of Aso Rock, and the earlier the Govs know this, the better for their permutations."
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