*Wike to Atiku: You’ve lost presidential election many times, lacks political relevance
*You’re self centred, playing politics with suffering of Nigerians, Atiku tells Wike
The political rivalry between the former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a new dimension over the lingering political crisis Rivers State.
The two politicians have also used strong words to express their views on the 2023 presidential election.
Taking a jab at Atiku, Wike said the former Vice President has lost political relevance, saying that he has been rejected by Nigerians after losing the presidential election many times and urged him to pack and go home
But Atiku has countered Wike, saying that the FCT Minister is playing politics with the sufferings of Nigerians, adding that Wike’s self-absorption is evident in his preoccupation with domestic affairs in Rivers State rather than his ministerial responsibilities.
The FCT Minister spoke on Saturday at a luncheon he organized in honour of the members of the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Responding to a comment credited to Atiku in the aftermath of the October 5 local government elections in Rivers State, Wike said high wire politics is responsible for the ongoing political impasse in the state.
The former Rivers State Governor also disclosed that he had no regret in supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presdential election.
He said “Most of you do not understand the fight that is going on. Do you think it is these people here? (Fubara’s group) No.
“Let me tell you what is going on, I have no regret at all and we have no regret at all for supporting President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I have no regret about it.
“All these things you are seeing by Atiku’s group, Peter Obi’s group and some PDP governors that believe that I am a problem to them. And I will continue to be a problem to them. The Atiku’s group believes that my team and I stopped them from becoming president. And we stopped injustice. What we wanted was equity, fairness and justice”.
Wike further disclosed that the former Vice President had been rejected by Nigerians, having contested the presidential elections and lost “many times”.
He said, “We never contested the local government elections. Did we contest? Did we pick forms? I hear Atiku Abubakar say, ‘Oh, they have rejected me in Rivers State.’ Okay, assuming, though not conceding, that he has lost many times, Nigerians have also rejected him.
“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 Atiku has faulted the stance of Wike on Rivers politics and described the FCT Minister and his collaborators as more concerned with self-interest than addressing the real challenges faced by Nigerians.
Speaking in a statement signed on Saturday by Paul Ibe, his Media Adviser, Atiku said “Wike’s comments are nothing more than a string of inanities, lacking substance and driven by personal grievances.”
“Our attention has been drawn to the recent remarks made by Mr. Nyesom Wike, which can only be described as another of his theatrical outbursts. Ordinarily, we would not respond, but we recognize that silence might be misinterpreted.
“However, we remain calm, knowing 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.”
Atiku’s spokesman further said, “Wike’s comments are nothing more than a string of inanities, lacking substance and driven by personal grievances. 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. This 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. 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.
“Wike delights 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.”
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