Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has launched a fresh criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, arguing that the longtime political heavyweight was never genuinely devoted to the Peoples Democratic Party. During an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television, Wike said Atiku’s latest departure from the opposition party did not come as a surprise to him.
In his remarks, Wike portrayed Atiku as a politician whose relationship with the PDP has always been unstable. He suggested that the former presidential candidate’s history of leaving and rejoining the party shows a pattern that does not reflect deep-rooted loyalty or long-term commitment to its survival.
Rather than describing Atiku’s exit as a shocking development, the FCT minister framed it as an expected outcome of an already troubled relationship. He argued that Atiku’s ambitions were centered more on personal political advantage than on strengthening the PDP as an institution. According to Gossip News Now, Wike insisted that the former vice president could not freely control the party structure while he remained an influential force within it.
Wike also accused Atiku and some of his allies of playing a role in the internal problems that have battered the PDP in recent years. From his perspective, the party’s difficulties were not accidental but were worsened by the actions of individuals he believes put personal interests ahead of party discipline and unity.
The minister used the interview to reinforce his long-running position that the PDP’s crisis is tied to the behavior of key actors who failed to protect its foundation. He argued that some of the people who once claimed to be defending the party were, in reality, part of the forces weakening it from within.
His comments did not stop with Atiku. Wike also reacted to the defection of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to the All Progressives Congress, saying he was pleased by the development. He recalled that Diri and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had once publicly spoken about preventing the PDP from being ruined, yet the party now finds itself in a much deeper state of disarray.
By raising that contrast, Wike appeared to challenge the credibility of those earlier promises. He implied that those who once vowed to save the PDP had failed to live up to their words, leaving the opposition party in a weakened and embarrassing condition.
The tone of Wike’s interview reflected both frustration and vindication. He presented Atiku’s departure and Diri’s defection as evidence that the PDP’s internal cracks have widened, while also suggesting that events are proving some of his earlier warnings correct.
Commentary and Analysis
Wike’s latest attack on Atiku goes beyond personal criticism and taps into the larger battle for the soul of the PDP. By questioning Atiku’s loyalty, he is not only challenging the former vice president’s credibility but also trying to shape the public narrative around who is responsible for the party’s repeated instability.
His reaction to Diri’s move to the APC also carries political symbolism. It shows that Wike now sees some former allies not as defenders of the PDP, but as figures whose choices have exposed the party’s weakness. That line of argument may resonate with observers who believe the PDP’s biggest threat has come from divisions among its own power brokers.
At the same time, the remarks underline how deeply fractured the opposition remains after the 2023 election cycle. The more senior figures continue to trade blame in public, the harder it may become for the PDP to rebuild a unified front ahead of future contests. Wike’s comments, therefore, are not just an attack on Atiku; they are another sign that the party’s internal war is far from over.
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