FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of being inconsistent and unreliable as political alignments gather pace ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt during the unveiling of candidates backed by his Rainbow Coalition for the 2027 elections in Rivers State.
Atiku, who contested the Peoples Democratic Party presidential ticket against Wike in 2022, is seeking the presidency on the platform of the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 poll.
Wike, who remains a PDP member but serves in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led administration, questioned the strength of opposition parties in Rivers State and dismissed suggestions that political groups outside his coalition had a meaningful presence in the state.
Turning to Atiku’s presidential ambition, the minister said his experience of working with the former vice-president had left him doubtful of his reliability.
“I ran together with him in the 2022 presidential primaries. I have known him since 2019. I was one of the biggest sponsors for that presidential election. He is not a man that you can go to the bank with his words,” Wike said.
He alleged that Atiku frequently changed his position, saying the former vice-president could make one statement in the morning and take a different position later in the day.
At the rally, Wike also questioned the ADC’s political standing in Rivers State, arguing that the existence of alternative parties did not necessarily mean they had significant support in the state.
The event drew supporters and members of the APC and PDP, as the Rainbow Coalition presented its preferred candidates for the forthcoming elections.
Discussion0